Kirklees College and Kirklees Council announce Kirklees Build Project

Kirklees College (@kirkleescollege) and Kirklees Council have announced an exciting new partnership to deliver the first construction training facility in North Kirklees. The Kirklees Build project will see development of a new skills and education centre delivering practical construction training within a live site environment, located initially at Kirklees College’s Springfield Sixth Form Centre in Dewsbury.

The Construction Skills Hub will be a leading-edge facility that will deliver training in modern methods of construction, retrofit, low carbon energy and other future skills needs. The centre has been designed in collaboration with stakeholders including the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to ensure that the facilities included will equip the next generation with the skills needed to meet the demands of the future.

The second phase of the project will involve developing a construction skills hub at a major housing development in North Kirklees. The project is being funded through a Government grant from the Dewsbury Town Fund programme and Kirklees Council.

Steve Plumstead, Head of Faculty for Construction and Land-Based studies at Kirklees College said:

“We are delighted to be working with Kirklees Council to bring construction training to North Kirklees for the first time. Based initially at Springfield Sixth Form Centre, the Construction Training Hub will help students develop a range of trade skills in a ‘realistic’ site environment. Serving as the initial part of the Kirklees Build project, when the site is relocated, students will also gain the invaluable experience of working at a live site and seeing how a major building development project unfolds.”

David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration, Kirklees Council, said:

“Over the next decade we’ll see unprecedented levels of investment in major infrastructure and development projects across Kirklees – including the flagship Our Cultural Heart project, the renovation of the George Hotel and other schemes delivered through the Huddersfield Blueprint programme; major regeneration programmes in Dewsbury, Batley, Cleckheaton, and other town centres; the multi-billion pound TransPennine Rail Upgrade being delivered by Network Rail and other major infrastructure and development projects. Through our partnership with Kirklees College, the Kirklees Build project will equip local residents to access the skills they need to develop rewarding careers in the construction industry and inspire a new generation of young people to take up these opportunities.”

The project has been in development for two years, following significant growth predictions in the sector by leading construction companies. For example, CITB has identified need for 225,000 additional roles in the sector between 2023 – 2027. Locally, there is also a significant gap in provision that there are currently no college training facilities for construction trades in North Kirklees. These factors, combined with a sector-wide push to attract a more diverse workforce and develop specialist net zero training provision, mean that this new facility will significantly boost North Kirklees’ ongoing contribution to the local construction industry.

Kirklees College is hopeful that the new training site will attract a wide range of young people in Dewsbury and the surrounding area to join the college’s Construction department, which is more popular than ever.