Official opening of construction at Cannock College

South Staffordshire College is thrilled to officially announce the move of its construction courses from Rodbaston College to Cannock College, following a successful funding bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Cannock Chase Council.

Within the Cannock Chase district, nine out of the top 10 occupations held by local people are within construction specialisms. The area also has over 20 % more job openings within construction than the national average.

Located within the heart of the town centre of Cannock, Cannock College is perfectly placed to support young people and adults within the area to gain valuable skills and experience to secure sustainable employment within the construction sector and fill existing job openings. The college will also support people already working within the construction sector to gain higher level skills to help increase their earning potential.

Thanks to £397,954 funding from the UKSPF fund the college has been able to build a bespoke carpentry workshop for both site and bench carpentry and purpose-built wet trades workshops to support the delivery of brick, flooring and painting.

Andy Cartwright, Director of Faculty for Technology, Business and Service Industries at South Staffordshire College said “South Staffordshire College, in partnership with Cannock Chase Council, has secured nearly £400,000 in funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. With industry experts in our staff, many of whom are former construction professionals, we are dedicated to addressing the skills shortage in the Cannock Chase district. This investment enables us to provide tailored training, supporting local businesses and meeting the urgent needs of our community.”

Kirk Hookham, Deputy CEO at South Staffordshire College said; “It gives me immense pleasure to see South Staffordshire College bring construction training into Cannock Chase. With a background in construction myself I know very well the opportunities this industry provides for those who work within it. Training the next generation of builders to provide the houses, shops, factories, leisure facilities and infrastructure we rely on is crucial not only in Cannock Chase but nationally. To be able to learn these skills, from industry experts, in the newest facility of its kind in the West Midlands is an amazing opportunity”

Councillor Josh Newbury, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Leader for Regeneration and High Streets at Cannock Chase Council said: “The council is delighted to be investing nearly £400,000 of UKSPF money in the college. We are hearing a lot at the moment about the importance of growing and building the economy, so this significant investment in construction courses locally is both timely and welcome.

“`Welcome` for our young people looking to enter an industry with lots of opportunities to get a good job and learn new skills, and `timely` with a renewed emphasis on building and improving our infrastructure. The council looks forward to extending its already strong working relationship with the college as we both look to develop the local economy.”

If you’d like to #CreateYourCareer in construction at Cannock College why not visit us at one of our upcoming open days. To find out more and book your place visit: southstaffs.ac.uk/open-days