First students lay foundations for inaugural suite of construction programmes

STUDENTS are laying the foundations for a future in construction on a groundbreaking new suite of apprenticeship programmes.

The first cohort of learners have taken their places on Wales’s first fully funded Construction Degree Apprenticeships.

The students will spend two years at Coleg Cambria’s Bersham Road site in Wrexham before completing a final two years at Wrexham University.

Funded by Welsh Government, the qualifications will give them the opportunity to gain pivotal work experience while achieving a degree, opening-up a wide range of career opportunities in Construction Management, Building Surveying, Civil Engineering, and Quantity Surveying.

Welcoming the group, Karl Jackson, Site Lead at Coleg Cambria Bersham Road – which has undergone a multi-million pound transformation in past years – and Assistant Principal for the Institute of Technology, said: “The learners have already settled into the programme and are looking forward to mixing the theoretical and practical sides of the industry, to boost their skills, knowledge and confidence.

“The degree apprenticeships will develop their professional competence but also give them vital real-time, real-life training in a high-quality setting.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Wrexham University on this and look forward to seeing the partnership grow in the years ahead.”

Launching the degree apprenticeships over the summer, Professor Maria Hinfelaar, former Vice-Chancellor at Wrexham University, said: “As a university, we continuously review our portfolio and learning pathways across all levels to meet the needs of learners and employers – and the Construction Degree Apprenticeships are a tremendous example of meeting those needs.

“From engagement with employers in the region, we know that they are excited that these are launching here in Wrexham.”

The programmes are designed to meet the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the Welsh Government Framework, alongside the requirements of the professional bodies.

The launch of the pathway was the result of strong co-operation and engagement relevant bodies and representatives in Wales including Welsh Government, The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), The Higher Education Funding Council Wales (HEFCW), The Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), and The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

For more information, visit www.cambria.ac.uk and Home – Wrexham University.