The Leeds College of Building has acquired a large building next to its North Street Campus, to expand facilities and training opportunities
The Leeds College of Building expansion consists of a former Vodafone building, 5,000 sq m in size.
This will essentially add another third to the size of the campus, and the project is seeking funding and planning to best utilise the added space.
“A significant step towards our ambition for growth”
Leeds Building College is one of UK’s few Technical Excellence Colleges for construction, and currently the only further education college dedicated to the construction industry.
The expansion is expected to help further this role, and train more students in construction skills, closing the skills gap further.
CEO and principal, Nikki Davis, said: “We are thrilled to announce the purchase of our neighbouring site. This exciting acquisition will enable us to train even more construction professionals and safeguard a talent pipeline in areas such as groundwork for future construction projects across the region.
“This expansion is a significant step towards our ambition for growth as one of the nation’s only Construction Technical Excellence Colleges – strengthening a vital workforce that will keep the construction industry, and our economy, moving forward.
“With the government’s Skills White Paper targeting 60,000 new skilled jobs by the end of this Parliament, we’re optimistic that this project will secure vital investment and support from government and regional partners such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.”
Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “It’s fantastic to see Leeds College of Building going from strength to strength, first being recognised as the Technical Excellence College for Construction for all of Yorkshire and the Humber and now expanding into these exciting new premises.
“By training the skilled workers we need for transformational projects like constructing tramlines, building new homes and retrofitting existing ones, Leeds College of Building puts our region at the epicentre of the nation’s rebuilding effort, creating good jobs and putting more money in people’s pockets.”
The UK will have more technical excellence colleges
In August, the government announced plans for 10 Technical Excellence Colleges across the England, of which the Leeds College of Building is one.
The other nine colleges are as follows:
- Derby College Group, East Midlands
- West Suffolk College, East of England
- New City College, Greater London
- City of Sunderland College, North East
- Wigan and Leigh College, North West
- North Kent College, South East
- Exeter College, South West
- Bedford College, cross-regional
- Dudley College of Technology, West Midlands
It is expected that when all of these colleges are open and operational, 40,000 people can be added to the workforce with high-demand construction skills by 2029.
Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for, and today’s announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent.
“Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity in an industry which is essential to delivering growth through our Plan for Change.”
The post Leeds College of Building expansion acquired for new training appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.
