Fareham College’s construction apprenticeship scoops second prestigious national award

Fareham College’s multi-award winning Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) was created in partnership with local civil engineering employers

Fareham College, the TES 2018 FE College of the Year, has been named Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the FE Week and AELP ACC Apprenticeship Awards 2019.

The College received the award for its unique and pioneering Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) and Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) in Lee-on-the-Solent, which together demonstrate a shining example of a successful employer-led, co-designed apprenticeship programme that is addressing workforce skills gaps and supporting the needs of employers. 

Accepting the honour at a gala awards ceremony at the ICC Birmingham were Fareham College Principal Nigel Duncan and Leah Palmer, Assistant Principal Study Programmes. Mark Wells, Chairman of the Blanchard Wells and Southern Concrete Group and Lisa Tibballs, Executive Assistant to Mark Wells, also attended and represent the Solent Civil Engineering Employers Group (SCEEG), which works in partnership with Fareham College on the project.

This is the second national award for CEGA, which last year won the Constructing Excellence SECBE Award. It was also shortlisted for the TES FE Award 2019 for Apprenticeship Programme of the Year and been a finalist for the coveted ICE Award.

Andrew Kaye, Deputy Principal of Fareham College, said:

“Since CEGA launched in 2017 it has received praise nationally for addressing the training needs of the UK civil engineering sector. I am thrilled the programme has been given this fantastic award. It’s a wonderful testament to the importance of colleges working collaboratively with employers to create and provide training that truly benefits them and their future workforces.”

The second phase of construction of Fareham College’s new CETC training facility is due to be completed this September and when finished will deliver a wider range of training programmes for the civil engineering industry.

Construction of Fareham College’s new £4.1m Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) is scheduled to be completed this September. The project aims to deliver more than 1,600 groundwork and civil engineering apprenticeships over a five-year period.