Aligning the evolving needs of the industry and community, Gloucestershire College
proudly reveals the opening of its new sustainable construction
training centre at its Cheltenham campus.
Forged by family-run Beard Construction, architects Roberts Limbrick, quantity surveyors Ward Williams Associates, structural engineers Simpson Associates and fire consultants Helios, the brand-new centre broadens the provision in Cheltenham’s Golden Valley, offering additional training in electrical, plumbing and carpentry.
Training the next generation of tradespeople and construction professionals, these subjects are offered alongside courses in construction multiskills, property maintenance, groundworks, design, surveying and planning, and construction and the built environment.
The new construction training centre will play a pivotal role in addressing the increasing demand for skilled construction workers in the region, projected to reach 6,400 annually by 2025 and coinciding with the industry's shift towards net-zero carbon technologies in construction.
Plus, with sustainability now a key focus for the college, students will be taught sustainable approaches to construction through the curriculum, including topics such as: smart technologies, renewable energy systems like solar PV, ground-source heat pumps and EV charging, eco-friendly construction techniques, waste minimisation, water conservation techniques, and more.
Following on from the college’s ambitious GC Zero project — designed and built with sustainability in mind — the new building has adopted air source heat pump technology for hot water and workshop heating systems, as well as efficient air conditioning systems to provide heat and cooling to classrooms.
As well as providing new industry high levels of insulation, electricity in the building comes from the campus solar generation and battery storage facilities.
Making all of this possible, the college funded £1m, supported in its bid for Department for Education (DfE) funding by Cheltenham Borough Council, who helped the college secure £4 million from the DfE.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Matthew Burgess, principal and CEO of Gloucestershire College, said: 'As well as addressing skills needs, part of our mission is also social mobility. Cheltenham Campus is deliberately placed in an area of regeneration. Our learners can’t always travel so we want to create opportunities for them.
'We’re proud of this facility and it’s for our community — the residents of Cheltenham, the Golden Valley, the businesses of Cheltenham and the whole county to benefit from.'
For more information, visit gloscol.ac.uk.
