PERSHORE College has launched a new construction academy to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the building trades at regional and national levels.
Pershore College Construction Academy has introduced a range of Level 1, Level 2, and adult learning courses which cater to skills in the sector, including bricklaying, plastering, multi-skills, hard landscaping, and more.
It also delivered short courses for adults in DIY skills to support local people with the knowledge to complete projects in their own homes.
Work started on creating the new construction academy in early 2025, when it initially featured three workshops.
Carpentry workshop at Pershore College. s
Since then, the college, which is part of WCG, has invested in a new workshop for brickwork and construction multi-skills, as well as a separate unit for delivering courses in carpentry and plumbing.
Furthermore, an existing workshop on the campus has been redeveloped into a distinct hard landscaping area.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimated that the UK needs more than 251,500 additional construction workers between 2024 and 2028, to fulfill the Government’s stated aim of creating 1.5million new homes nationwide by the end of this parliament.
Worcestershire’s construction sector plays a vital role in the regional economy, with the top 50 construction firms generating approximately £335million in output whilst supporting around 15,000 jobs.
The county has experienced a continued growth in demand for skilled trades, particularly in areas such as bricklaying, plastering, and landscaping, fuelled by housing development targets and infrastructure investment.
Kate Hartshorn, campus principal, said: “We are always looking at ways to expand our curriculum, and the goal is always to provide support for local skills needs where possible.
“The construction academy helps to develop the skilled workforce for the future, ensuring that we have a pipeline of individuals to support the local, regional and national sector.
“The Government has set ambitious targets for housebuilding, and businesses have voiced their concerns about having the skills to deliver on these ambitions.
“Further education has a key role to play in this, whether that is through training new people or upskilling existing staff.
The provision of new courses for skilled trades at Pershore was part of the promise made during the consultation to close Evesham New College, which offered carpentry and plumbing courses before its closure at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.
Visit wcg.ac.uk/construction to find out more about construction courses at Pershore College.
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