Dr , Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, was given
a tour of Cambridge Regional College's (CRC) cutting-edge
Construction Hub on its Huntingdon campus, to see how Combined
Authority investment was helping new talent get into the
sector.
The Combined Authority provided a
Local Growth Fund grant of £2.5 million to refurbish and kit out
part of the campus space with a state-of-the-art range of
workshops and equipment to train people in general construction
skills and trades including carpentry, electrical, and
bricklaying. The aim of the Construction Hub is to help meet the
significant skills shortages in the sector, while also setting
learners on the path to good careers. The Construction Industry Training Board estimates
a
need for 20,000 more skilled workers
in the East of England by 2028 alone,
creating big opportunities for those getting into the sector. The
Construction Hub is centrally located for expected growth in
housing and transport and other major infrastructure projects
coming to the East.
The Construction Hub part of the
campus opened to students for the first time in September
2021.
Mayor Dr Johnson was joined by Katy
Davies, of the Combined Authority Business Board, and who has a
specialism in skills. The tour was led by CRC Principal and Chief
Executive Mark Robertson and Deputy Principal for Curriculum
Development Kate da Costa.
During the tour the Mayor spoke to
electrical students aged 16 and 17, as well as Level 2 Carpentry
students, many of whom were working towards an apprenticeship in
the trades. There were a variety of future aspirations ranging
from going on to eventually start their own businesses, to
working in heritage and building
renovation.
The centre
has:
-
Support construction skills
development in the region to support the growing job market
in the sector. It has been able to help address skills
shortages, in occupational areas including
construction, electrical, brickwork and carpentry, while also
setting more people off on the path to great
careers.
The Mayor also met some young people
who were making use of the Tiger bus pass for under 25s, offering
journeys for £1.
Mayor Dr said: “There was a
real buzz around the Construction Hub, with many young people in
the early stages of what will be great, rewarding careers. I was
pleased to see how Combined Authority funding has helped provide
these fantastic facilities to give learners the best possible
start on their journey to the working
world.”
Katy Davies, of the Combined Authority
Business Board, said: “The
Construction Hub was funded to help meet real skills shortages in
the sector in our region and it was great to see lots of
well-trained, enthusiastic young people coming through to provide
the lifeblood that employers are crying out for. It is a great
time to be getting into construction and the trades and I'm
really excited about what the future holds for all the young
learners we met.”
Mark Robertson, Principal and CEO,
Cambridge Regional College, said: “The funding from the CPCA enabled us to increase our
capacity and to invest in start-of-the-art facilities at our
Huntingdon campus for the construction sector, which is of
strategic importance to the region's skills needs both now and in
the future. The facilities are already providing many young
people with routes to excellent careers in the construction
trades and are helping local businesses to succeed by providing a
source of trained new talent.
“The Huntingdon campus is also
undergoing a refit to enable us to provide Retrofit Training
courses in the new year, strengthening the region's access to
green construction training and further strengthening our offer
for the region across our Cambridge and Huntingdon
campuses.
“Our work with partners like the
Combined Authority is fundamental to addressing the region's
skills needs, investing in our local economy and providing bright
and prosperous futures for our community. CRC is delighted to
work closely with the Combined Authority on our shared aims to
create great opportunities for students and
employers.”
For more information on the
Construction Hub visit: https://www.camre.ac.uk/about/our-locations/huntingdon-campus-location/construction-hub/
