Sherford Skills Training Centre opened

Sherford, the new sustainable community being developed in Devon, has opened its new Skills Training Centre.

As part of its holistic view of sustainability, the development is encouraging people to take on a trade and help address the construction skills crisis.
The £370,000 training centre is set to help address the region’s skills challenge and is already welcoming its first trainees.

Based at Sherford, the one-of-a-kind facility marks a major, long-term commitment to addressing and reducing the region’s skills challenge. The training centre will engage military veterans, apprentices, local contractors, as well as those currently working at Sherford, boosting manual skills by providing training and experience across numerous trades.

The training centre boasts two classrooms, a workshop and an outdoor training area, providing trainees with the opportunity to learn at the heart of one of the region’s largest new developments. Those using the training centre will be supported by expert onsite teams and teaching staff, as well as a dedicated training centre co-ordinator based at the facility.

Gary Streeter, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, officially opened the Skills Training Centre, celebrating the occasion alongside key dignitaries, the Sherford Consortium, local training providers and construction contractors at the new development.

The development of the training centre has been funded by the Sherford Consortium, the network of national homebuilders responsible for the new community, Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Taylor Wimpey. Following a competitive bid process led by the Consortium and key delivery partners – City College Plymouth, South Devon College and Plymouth Construction Training Group – the training centre was also awarded funding from The Construction Industry Trading Board (CITB), set to be distributed over three years.

It is hoped that the centre will not only boost skills on site at Sherford, but also create a lasting legacy by improving the region’s economic growth and employment landscape.

Gary Streeter Member of Parliament for South West Devon said: “I am delighted to support the opening of the new Sherford Training Centre which is another reflection on how the community at Sherford is now firmly up and running. It will provide important resources and training for people wishing to work in the construction sector. It is critical that we train up a new generation of construction workers and skilled tradesmen if we are to meet the infrastructure challenges of our country. This is an important initiative.”

Emma Comber, Sherford’s new Training Centre Co-ordinator said: “The training centre provides a unique opportunity to learn and train at one of the largest construction sites in the region. We have worked with the Sherford Consortium and local contractors, as well as the CITB, to identify the skills most in demand across the industry, with the centre providing a hub for people from all backgrounds to retrain, refresh or upskill – achieving recognised industry qualifications.”

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