Fareham College shortlisted for national Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year

Fareham College’s innovative Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) was created in response to a country-wide civil engineering skills shortage

Fareham College, the TES FE College of the Year, has been announced as a national finalist for the Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year Award at the ACC Apprenticeship Awards 2019. 

The College was shortlisted for its innovative Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) and Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC), based in Lee-on-the-Solent.

Both projects are a partnership between Fareham College and the Solent Civil Engineering Employers Group (SCEEG), a group of civil engineering employers that work collaboratively to establish skills solutions for the UK civil engineering sector.

CETC is a mock construction site that provides civil engineering apprentices a realistic training environment to get them site-ready. CEGA is unique in that it has been co-designed by SCEEG member organisations and offers 20 weeks initial intensive basic training to allow apprentices to develop their skills before they complete their assessment during the remainder of their apprenticeship on their employers’ sites.

Both have attracted national interest and government interest as an example of an employer-led, co-designed apprenticeship programme designed to meet skills shortage and employers’ needs. 

Nigel Duncan, Principal of Fareham College, said, “Our aim has been to help tackle the country-wide skills shortages that hamper civil engineering companies meet their ambitious business growth targets, and to equip civil engineering apprentices with the skills employers really need. The programme is enjoying fantastic success and already delivering what we set out to achieve. I’m incredibly proud of its strong reputation among businesses and am thankful to everyone who has contributed to it being shortlisted for this fantastic award.”

Winners will be announced at a gala awards dinner at the ICC Birmingham on Thursday 28 March.

This is the second national award Fareham College’s CEGA has been nominated for this year. In November last year, it was shortlisted for the TES FE Award 2019 for Apprenticeship Programme of the Year and has already won the Constructing Excellence SECBE Award and been a finalist for the coveted ICE Award.

Fareham College is judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the highest ranking available and has recently been named FE College of the Year by the Times Educational Supplement.

The College offers an exceptional learning environment and is a centre of excellence for teaching and learning. With a wide choice of subjects, £29 million of campus developments and excellent success rates, Fareham College is the first choice for ambitious students looking for the very best professional and technical training to set them on the path to a rewarding career or higher education.

The College offers a diverse range of courses that includes BTECs, NVQs, Traineeships, Apprenticeships, Higher Education and professional courses to prepare students for employment in their chosen career path or progression to university.