Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, was given a tour of Cambridge Regional College’s (CRC) cutting-edge Construction Hub on it's Huntingdon campus, to see how Combined Authority investment was helping new talent get into the sector.
The Combined Authority provided a Local Growth Fund grant of £2.5 million to refurbish and kit out part of the campus space with a state-of-the-art range of workshops and equipment to train people in general construction skills and trades including carpentry, electrical, and bricklaying. The aim of the Construction Hub is to help meet the significant skills shortages in the sector, while also setting learners on the path to good careers. The Construction Industry Training Board estimates a need for 20,000 more skilled workers in the East of England by 2028 alone, creating big opportunities for those getting into the sector. The Construction Hub is centrally located for expected growth in housing and transport and other major infrastructure projects coming to the East.
The Construction Hub part of the campus opened to students for the first time in September 2021.
Mayor Dr Johnson was joined by Katy Davies, of the Combined Authority Business Board, and who has a specialism in skills. The tour was led by CRC Principal and Chief Executive Mark Robertson and Deputy Principal for Curriculum Development Kate da Costa.
During the tour the Mayor spoke to electrical students aged 16 and 17, as well as Level 2 Carpentry students, many of whom were working towards an apprenticeship in the trades. There were a variety of future aspirations ranging from going on to eventually start their own businesses, to working in heritage and building renovation.
The centre has:
- Allowed the college to increase numbers of students studying construction-related subjects, helping set up good careers and meet skills need in the sector.
- Enabled double the number of students studying construction at the Huntingdon Campus to 161, with 23 apprentices.
- Allowed the introduction of new construction and electrical installation apprenticeships.
- Support construction skills development in the region to support the growing job market in the sector. It has been able to help address skills shortages, in occupational areas including construction, electrical, brickwork and carpentry, while also setting more people off on the path to great careers.
The Mayor also met some young people who were making use of the Tiger bus pass for under 25s, offering journeys for £1.
Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “There was a real buzz around the Construction Hub, with many young people in the early stages of what will be great, rewarding careers. I was pleased to see how Combined Authority funding has helped provide these fantastic facilities to give learners the best possible start on their journey to the working world.”
Katy Davies, of the Combined Authority Business Board, said: “The Construction Hub was funded to help meet real skills shortages in the sector in our region and it was great to see lots of well-trained, enthusiastic young people coming through to provide the lifeblood that employers are crying out for. It is a great time to be getting into construction and the trades and I’m really excited about what the future holds for all the young learners we met.”
Mark Robertson, Principal and CEO, Cambridge Regional College, said: “The funding from the CPCA enabled us to increase our capacity and to invest in start-of-the-art facilities at our Huntingdon campus for the construction sector, which is of strategic importance to the region’s skills needs both now and in the future. The facilities are already providing many young people with routes to excellent careers in the construction trades and are helping local businesses to succeed by providing a source of trained new talent.
“The Huntingdon campus is also undergoing a refit to enable us to provide Retrofit Training courses in the new year, strengthening the region’s access to green construction training and further strengthening our offer for the region across our Cambridge and Huntingdon campuses.
“Our work with partners like the Combined Authority is fundamental to addressing the region’s skills needs, investing in our local economy and providing bright and prosperous futures for our community. CRC is delighted to work closely with the Combined Authority on our shared aims to create great opportunities for students and employers.”
For more information on the Construction Hub visit: https://www.camre.ac.uk/about/our-locations/huntingdon-campus-location/construction-hub/
