19 Nov 2024
Oaklands College is gearing up to open the jewel in the crown of its extensive redevelopment project, which will completely transform its campus in St Albans,
The ambitious Construction Centre project is a 3,000m² new build that will provide state-of-the-art teaching facilities for the construction skills curriculum areas. It includes workshops for practical learning for the plumbing, electrical and renewables installation trades, a construction lab, a virtual reality learning suite and general teaching and IT classrooms. The build has also used many cutting-edge sustainability practices, including being one of the first projects in the UK to use a brick made from fully recycled materials.
The Construction Centre opens next Tuesday, November 26.
Meanwhile, the further education college has been picked as one of only six colleges nationwide to partner with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Home Builders Federation (NBF) in their ‘Partner a college’ project.
This initiative sees further education colleges that have been identified as having an excellent construction department being invited to get involved with some exciting and prestigious construction projects, giving them a fantastic insight into the industry in action.
Oaklands College students will be attached to housebuilders in the south-east area, with those companies yet to be announced.
Claire Dolan, deputy principal strategy, partnership and business development said: “We are becoming a centre of learning excellence for the construction industry and are very proud to open our incredible new Construction Centre at the end of November.
“The construction industry is a growing industry in the UK and underpins our economy, as well as generating thousands of highly skilled jobs. So, we are delighted that just weeks before we unveil our new centre, the college has also been recognised by the industry and chosen as one of a handful of colleges to partner with the NBF and the CITB.
“As a college we are keen to build strong connections and ties with local, regional and national employers in every industry and give all of our students practical, vocational advantages for their futures in the workplace, alongside their learning journeys.”
