Bristolian youngsters showed off their skills to Metro Mayor Dan Norris as he visited the South Bristol Skills Academy (SBSA) alongside Bristol South MP Karin Smyth and outlined his plans to motor forward to expand opportunities.
The Metro Mayor got hands-on as he joined the students learning how to service cars and vans in the Centre’s modern vehicle maintenance facilities. The College is hoping to introduce training for young people to also be able to maintain and support the new electric vehicles of the future as the public increasingly move away from combustion-engine cars in the coming years.
City of Bristol College has recently received £6million investment from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), which the Mayor leads, so they can expand to deliver more courses for young people in bricklaying, carpentry and construction.
Mayor Norris got a sneak preview of the new state-of-the-art facility which is being built. The Advanced Construction Skills Centre is due to open this Autumn.
West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris, said: “Skilling up local people so they can be the engine for our region’s recovery is vital. It was a pleasure to meet our future mechanics and people who will be working in car maintenance. You never want a breakdown but it’s clear these students are getting the practical know-how to get you back on the road. I was also delighted to hear about future plans so we will have local people with the skills we need to build the homes and infrastructure we desperately need in Bristol and other local cities, towns and villages.”
Richard Harris, Deputy Principal and Chief Executive of City of Bristol College, said: “The Advanced Construction Skills Centre will provide skills training so that learners from across Bristol can make the most of new employment opportunities, offering modern facilities where people can train in all areas of construction in order to develop the skilled workforce that employers will need in the post-pandemic and post-Brexit world. Trades including bricklaying, carpentry and construction, and also higher-level training like project management and quantity surveying will be offered, with a clear focus on sustainability to reflect modern methods of construction.
“From September onwards, the Centre will offer students a learning experience to develop the skills they need for a rewarding and valuable career, and will provide a clearly defined pathway to further training, apprenticeships or higher education. In this way, the Advanced Construction Skills Centre will raise aspirations, promote social mobility, widen participation and help deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth for the area.”
Look inside the Advanced Construction Skills Centre and see what subjects are on offer.
