Bath College is to develop flexible training courses to attract more students to the highway construction industry and help combat its acute skills shortage.
The commitment follows a meeting between senior college staff and representatives from Bath & North East Somerset Council and trade bodies the Institute of Highway Engineers and Aggregate Industries.
As well as exploring ways to bring more young people into the sector the meeting also looked at how best to develop the careers of those already working in the industry.
Bath College is one of only a few further education colleges nationally to secure financial backing from the HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) Catalyst Fund to develop higher education courses.
The FAR (flexible & accelerated routes) project centres on computing and civil engineering HNC/D (higher national certificate/diploma) courses.
Working with employers, it will enable students to qualify in a shorter period of time as well as helping address local, regional and national skills shortages as identified in the government’s Industrial Strategy.
Bath College contracts and distance learning manager Rosaleen Courtney said: “It is important that we develop routes for people to enter the sector and continue to develop their skills.
“The highways distance learning courses offered by Bath College are available online and will be updated in line with market needs, which is why it is so important to work cohesively with employers, contractors and the Institute.”
To find out more about the project, contact higher education manager Simon Bracken on 01225 328 627 or email simon.bracken@bathcollege.ac.uk
Pictured, from left: Bath College contracts and distance learning manager Rosaleen Courtney, Bath & NE Somerset Council employment and skills manager Kate Starks, Institute of Highway Engineers chief executive Richard Hayes, Bath College HE manager Simon Bracken, and Aggregate Industries commercial business development Stuart Smith
