Construction Hub training facility launched at Tweedbank

Borders College recently launched its brand new Construction Hub, where industry ambassador Ed Monaghan officially opened the new training facility.

The Construction Hub, on which work began in 2016, was created to enable the College to respond to the increase in demand for jobs and training in Construction and Engineering industries. This demand is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future.

Representatives were invited from ESH Construction, Morrison Construction, Waverley Housing, Marlin Industries, City Electrical Factors Ltd, James Swinton & Co Ltd, John Rae Ltd, JS Crawford, Silverhydro, BETA (Border Engineering Training Association), CITB (Construction Industry Training Board), Skills Development Scotland, Job Centre Plus, Energy Skills Partnership and Scottish Borders Council.

Guests were welcomed to the new facility by College Principal and Chief Executive, Angela Cox:

“Over the last 3 years we have seen year on year growth in Construction and Engineering at Borders College, with over 120 college based students and over 150 Apprentices enrolled in 2017. Our focus now is to expand our higher level technical skills offer that our industries require including HNDs and the launch of a Graduate Apprenticeship in Engineering from September. This brand new £660,000 facility will provide the required workshop space and enhanced facilities to enable us to do this.

“As a college we are ambitious and excited about the future skills landscape in these sectors and will continue to adopt the innovations and technologies that will transform how the current and future workforce will operate.”

Ed Monaghan also addressed the group ahead of the official opening and unveiling of the opening plaque. Beginning his own career as an apprentice painter and decorator for Mactaggart & Mickel Ltd, Ed is now Group Chief Executive of the company, and former Chair of both the Construction Scotland Industry Leadership Group and Scottish (CITB) Advisory Committee. As a member of CBI Construction Council, the skills development of the future construction workforce is something that he is passionate about.

Referring to his tour of the Painting & Decorating booths as a flashback to his former life, Ed says he really enjoyed his own time at college:

“It’s not about who you know, it’s about what you can give and provide to your employer, and this begins at college. Never has the importance of skills for the future been so prominent as it is today. We need new people and new skills to join the sector, and today’s launch is a good example of how we can do more to support the growth in this industry.”

His advice to the students was to set their sights on what they want to achieve, look to the future and to continue their education, thereby staying at the forefront of learning and keeping up with advances in technology.

The event culminated in staff from the Brickwork, Engineering and Painting & Decorating departments within the Construction Hub showing guests around their respective areas during a tour of the facility, giving construction and engineering students the opportunity to talk to guests first-hand and explain the positive impact the new space has had on their student experience.

Borders College looks forward to continuing to build on its relationships with employers and industry within the sector.