West Yorkshire Combined Authority invests in construction skills

Over £1 million of grant funding has been allocated to give adults the skills needed by West Yorkshire’s construction industry.

The funding has been allocated to Leeds College of Building, as part of wider Adult Education Budget (AEB) funding to ensure skills provision in West Yorkshire supports adults to develop the skills needed to enter and stay in work, enrol in an apprenticeship, or further their learning.

The College is the only further education college in the UK which specialises in construction, and has previously received nearly £12m from the Combined Authority to build a new campus and refurbish its existing one.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: ‘We’re now seeing the fantastic benefits of devolution and how we can strategically use funding to benefit our local economy and the people who live here. As the economy re-opens, the construction industry is recovering strongly, with more than 70,000 people in West Yorkshire alone, already working in construction. However, many employers are still struggling to recruit people with the right skills. Therefore, I’m pleased to see we are providing people with excellent education and training facilities and courses whereby they can gain the skills needed by industry.’

Derek Whitehead, Principal and CEO of Leeds College of Building, added: ‘The capital investment from West Yorkshire Combined Authority towards our Phase 2 South Bank campus was a welcomed significant contribution to further the College’s strategy to help meet the growing construction education and training needs of students and employers, both regionally and nationally. 

‘The South Bank 2 campus is home to a range of courses including Heating and Ventilation, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Building Information Modelling, as well as accelerating the ever-expanding area of Construction Higher Education courses.  Funding also provided an opportunity to refurbish part of the North Street campus, which now has one of the largest Painting & Decorating training facilities in the UK. 

‘Adults, 16–18-year-olds, apprentices and Higher Education students make up the 6,000 students that attend the College each year. I am pleased that Leeds College of Building, together with excellent support from WYCA and employers, are helping to meet the needs of students and industry.’

In related news, a service that helps people in Greater Manchester to retrofit their homes is planning to train 3,500 builders, joiners, electricians and plumbers in green skills over the next five years with money raised via a £550,000 community share offer.

Photo supplied by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority