Held at Hartlepool College of Further Education, the Big Apprenticeship Event 2023 celebrated the region’s apprenticeship offering and highlighted development opportunities for budding apprentices.
In attendance was Seymour Civil Engineering who displayed their apprenticeship catalogue as well as highlighting the new civil engineering institute.
Hartlepool College of Further Education Principal, Darren Hankey, said: “It was excellent to celebrate our partnership at the college’s flagship apprenticeship week event.
“Now we have the planning approval and construction is imminent, it’s exciting to share our plans for the institute to potential cohorts of students.
“Who knows, those walking through those doors of our event may have walked away with a clearer idea of what their future could hold at our new institute.”
Under Hartlepool Borough Council’s Town Deal programme, the institute received a share of £25 million funding in order to support the consolidation and growth of teaching and training at their two existing sites.
In partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education and Hartlepool Borough Council, the combined £2.2 million will develop their Brenda Road and Exeter Street sites.
Construction is due to begin in February 2023 and includes new modular classrooms and training facilities such as a telehandler tower and temporary timber framed bungalow.
Building further upon their award winning success in training and people development, the institute aims to become a centre of excellence for practical civil engineering and construction training.
The construction industry is facing unprecedented demands, with a critical shortage of key skills in the sector and an extra 7,900 workers required between 2023 and 2027.
In the last quarter alone, the Skills Academy has delivered over 1,100 qualifications and the site is utilised by an array of apprenticeships to enhance their learning opportunities on a simulated site from Groundwork Apprentices, Bricklaying Apprentices through to Civil Engineering Apprentices.
Seymour Civil Engineering’s Managing Director, Adam Harker, said “We are committed to investing in our people and communities. We are proud to play a leading role in the upskilling of our industry – providing multiple different route ways into Civil Engineering and Construction.
The current skills shortage represents one of the biggest challenges to our industry. Our commitment to tackling this extends to ensuring the industry is diversified, inclusive, and provides equal opportunities for all, without bias or barriers.
This investment into the Skills Academy is going to bring a fantastic opportunity not only to the local community who will benefit from future career prospects, but it will also benefit the wider industry as it helps to overcome these challenges.
The Skills Academy has already achieved award winning outcomes and we are very much looking forward to continuing to build upon this success to the benefit of all.”
The five Town Deal transformation projects include renovation of the former Wesley Chapel, connectivity waterfront improvements, reimagining of Middleton Grange Shopping Centre and the development of educational institutes in health and social care and civil engineering.
