Telford College’s new civil engineering training area – created in partnership with an award-winning local company – has been officially unveiled.
Building contractor McPhillips (Wellington) Limited has worked closely with the college on the creation of the 600 square metre training area at the Haybridge campus.
The former Shropshire Company of the Year has a long-standing relationship with Telford College, and sends its apprentices to study at the centre, gaining experience and developing skills on site.
The new training area has been specifically designed to hone skills in areas such as drainage, road and footpath construction, kerb laying, surfacing, and paving.
Three material storage areas have also been included, giving students chance to learn the process of receiving and checking materials that are delivered to site, and ways of storing them safely.
McPhillips’ marketing manager Mark Kiddie said: “McPhillips is pleased to support Telford College in improving the facilities available to upskill our own trainees, and wider construction industry resources.
“It makes sense to keep our training as local to our Telford base as we can, and having these fantastic facilities on our doorstep is a real advantage.
“With the shortage of people entering construction, the more attractive we can make getting into the industry, the better for everybody.”
Darren Wilson, Telford College’s director of employer engagement, said: “With the support from McPhillips, we have been able to turn two diverse sites into one purpose-built space, which has transformed the apprenticeship practical applications in civil engineering.
“Coupled with the virtual and augmented reality suite we already have on site, it enables the apprentices to experience the best that Telford has to offer in terms of practical professional development.
“The new space allows us to offer practical activities that better resemble the kind of national road building activities and programmes of civil engineering projects that McPhillips undertake on a much larger scale – and is of huge benefit to students.”
Telford College principal and chief executive Graham Guest added: “Our curriculum is tailored around giving students realistic and relevant employment experience – and this is a perfect example.
“We have built valuable and thriving partnerships with many of Shropshire’s leading employers, across a wide range of sectors, which is being further cemented by the introduction of business mentors for our 7th Form students.”
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