Construction Village launches in region

Students at the Skills Village, which will be officially opened by the Mayor of Barnsley, Linda Burgess, on January 30, will work work on a ‘live’ construction site and gain first-hand experience of working on a construction build from design to finish whilst developing their skills in a range of construction trades including groundworks, painting and decorating, plastering, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery and plumbing.

The new Skills Village opened last November and is a collaboration between Henry Boot Construction, Northern Regeneration, Barnsley College and Barnsley Council and is a result of Barnsley Council’s £100m investment in the Better Barnsley town centre redevelopment. The redevelopment is aimed at creating a brighter future where people achieve their potential and a better Barnsley with a thriving and vibrant economy that supports the creation of more and better jobs and good business growth.

Graham Ratcliffe, managing director at Northern Regeneration, said: “The Skills Village is a fantastic opportunity to identify and recruit new talent locally to help address the skills gap. On site, students will experience ‘real life’ training and gain genuine work experience and employment opportunities.”

Barnsley College principal Christopher Webb said: “The Skills Village provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain invaluable experience of industry working practices and ensure that, at the end of their course, they are ready for employment.”

Guests at the launch, which starts at 10am, will be able to find out more about the Skills Village and take a tour of the site. Call 07506 745808 for details.