A NEW state-of-the-art groundworks and scaffolding training centre is set to be created at Colchester Institute.

Backed by employers in the area, the £250,000 project has been designed to meet demand for facilities in the construction trades and will create 36 apprenticeship places.

Funding of £100,000 is set to be agreed by Essex County Council via the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), another £100,000 will come from the college and £50,000 is from employers and sponsors.

The cash will be used for things like site clearance and preparation as well as plant and machinery purchase.

Once complete the new training centre will include self-contained training areas replicating site conditions and an existing building will be used for scaffolding training.

Extra qualifications like working at height and safe entry to confined spaces will also be on offer.

According to a report, training in the skillsets is needed to help with five regeneration areas in Colchester - St Botolph’s, the garrison, Hythe, Northern Gateway and Knowledge Gateway

Gary Horne, executive vice principal of Colchester Institute, said added investment at the college was extremely welcome.

“We are delighted to continue to receive the support of SELEP and Essex County Council in further developing our facilities to support skills improvement needs across Essex and beyond," he said.

"With a staggering £3 billion of infrastructure investment programmes underway in Colchester, we will continue to adapt to develop the pipeline workforce needed to fulfil these ambitions.

"We are very grateful to our employer group partners who have helped in taking forward the groundworks scheme over the last two years and we look to rewarding them by supporting a minimum of 36 new apprenticeship starts every year going forward.

"This is really exciting in that it adds to our increasing portfolio of construction programmes offered from the Colchester campus."

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