A NEW training centre in Lichfield will help supercharge the UK’s house building plans, bosses have said.
Planning permission has been granted for the project on land as part of the Curborough Lakes development off Watery Lane.
It will see a new National House Building Council (NHBC) training centre created to help tackle skills shortages in the construction industry.
The scheme is being funded in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board, with land provided by Redrow Homes.
The Lichfield facility is one of 12 planned across the country in a bid to support more than 3,000 apprentices a year.
Initially, the hub – which will cost £1million – will focus on trades like bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry.
Roger Morton, director of business change at NHBC, said:
“We’re not just training apprentices, we’re shaping the future of UK house building.
“The new NHBC Multi-Skill Training Hubs will revolutionise house building training, tackle the skills shortage head-on and make a real difference to the future of the industry.
“Our mission is to make sure every apprentice meets NHBC’s industry-leading standards, driving quality and delivering the homes the UK urgently needs, when and where they’re needed.”
The Lichfield centre is expected to open later this year and will give apprentices experience and training in site conditions.
Tim Balcon, CEO of the Construction Industry Training Board, said:
“The multi-skill training hubs are a fantastic initiative for people that want to pursue a career in home building.
“People should be proud to pursue a career in construction and home building. There is an array of valuable skills to be learnt, the sense of accomplishment seeing a project completed never fades and it’s a lucrative career too.
“The average UK construction worker’s salary is over £44,000 – nearly £9,000 higher than the average UK salary.
“We’re excited to see the continued rollout of these hubs following our joint investment with NHBC.”