Willmott Dixon has handed over the new £9m Oldham College Construction Centre five weeks ahead of schedule, providing 2,296 sq m of specialist teaching and learning space
The landmark building will provide a venue that empowers the college to provide elite technical education facilities to address the skills gap in the sector, enabling students to learn the building, construction and trade skills of the future.
Students will be taught technical trades and higher professional skills right through to degree level – including new T Level qualifications – and access a range of exciting career routes including architecture and surveying, electrical, plumbing and plastering.
The Construction Centre has included the demolition of the obsolete Bronte and Bevan teaching blocks.
Working to the Government’s emergency measures on social distancing and construction sites, the project team have been able to continue working on-site.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) contributed a £6.95m grant towards the £9m project costs with Oldham College providing the remaining capital funding.
The Local Growth Fund is granted to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and LEPs play a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country.
The Greater Manchester LEP administers Local Growth Fund in conjunction with GMCA.
Creating opportunities
Anthony Dillon, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the North, said: “As a business based in Oldham, we’re committed to transforming lives, creating opportunities and strengthening our community.
“We’re hugely proud to play our part in creating these exciting new facilities and creating a pathway for the next generation of Greater Manchester construction professionals to gain the skills and experience, our industry and our region needs.”
Lou Cordwell, chair of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (GM LEP), said: “Fantastic progress has been made on Oldham College’s new Construction Centre, which we are proud to be backing through the Local Growth Fund.
“The construction sector will play a vital role in driving our recovery as we emerge from the pandemic, but it also suffers from a skills shortage.”
