Gloucestershire College has announced award-winning family firm, Beard Construction, as its building contractor for its new sustainable construction centre in Cheltenham.
Building work on the highly-anticipated £5 million project got underway this October 2023, with Beard director Jamie Harwood and construction manager Rob Steele leading a team of local businesses, which also includes Gloucestershire architects Roberts Limbrick; quantity surveyors, Gloucester-based Ward Williams Associates; and structural engineers, Gloucester-based Simpsons Associates.
The 14,000-sq ft construction centre will have the capacity to accommodate 164 learners every week across a diverse range of skills — including plumbing, electrical and carpentry, all with sustainability at their core — and forms part of Gloucestershire College's vision to prepare the workforce of the future.
The site will play an essential role in producing skilled construction workers for the region, to meet the growing demands of the sector and the industry's shift towards net zero carbon construction.
Gloucestershire College's principal, Matthew Burgess, said: 'Our selection of Beard Construction is rooted in its exceptional reputation and demonstrated commitment to sustainable and high-quality builds. We sought a partner who shares our vision of preparing the talent of tomorrow for the evolving construction landscape.
'Beard’s proven expertise, coupled with its focus on minimising disruption and maximizing collaboration, aligns with our objectives and we look forward to working with them over the coming year.'
Harwood added: 'Gloucestershire College has an exciting vision to not only increase routes into the industry, but ensure new recruits are skilled to meet the challenges and opportunities of sustainability. These principles are key drivers for us at Beard and we are delighted to be working with the college as its chosen contractor.
'For more than 130 years, Beard has built an established reputation in the education sector, whether it’s in primary, secondary, SEND provision or further education. We will utilise this expertise to help Gloucestershire College deliver a cutting-edge teaching and learning space for construction.'
For more information, visit gloscol.ac.uk.
