A NEW state-of-the-art training college is set to be constructed by Glasgow’s City Building organisation.
The £7million facility will meet the demands of its craft apprenticeship programme and the continuous upskilling of its workforce.
It will be located in the grounds of Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi) near Springburn and will have capacity for more than 250 apprentices and tradespeople.
As well as accommodating those undertaking initial training in various disciplines from painting to plumbing, electrical, joinery and gas engineering, it will also provide a base for City Building employees taking courses in subjects such as asbestos, roofing and health and safety.
It will combine classroom space, incorporating the latest technology, with specially-designed work units enabling people to undertake practical tasks.
Planning permission for the development was granted earlier this year. The project will see City Building consolidate its current training facilities at Queenslie and RSBi into one place.
The new college also supports a wider strategic vision to provide more training opportunities within the city — City Building already runs one of the UK’s most successful apprenticeship programmes, employing 254 craft apprentices, equivalent to 13 per cent of its overall workforce and four per cent of all craft apprentices in Scotland.
However, it aims to create 2,000 new craft apprentices over the next 30 years –- a commitment made by the firm when it formed its joint venture between Glasgow City Council and Wheatley Group in 2017.
Councillor Allan Casey, chair of City Building, said: “The new facility is a crucial part of our strategic vision to create jobs within the city. It supports our wider aim to get more young people into work or training and build wealth within communities.
“The construction sector is an important part of the Glasgow economy but to grow the industry and create further employment opportunities we need the skills and resources to bring up the next generation of tradespeople.
“City Building already runs one of the UK’s most successful apprenticeship programmes and the construction of a new college will allow them to continue supporting skills development and training within the city.”
Dr Graham Paterson, executive director of City Building, said: “City Building has always been one of Glasgow’s largest training providers and we are incredibly proud of the role we play in supporting hundreds of young people gain the skills and experience needed to further their careers.
“Our approach is centred around bringing life-changing opportunities through employment and training, ensuring our workforce have the right skills and confidence to deliver our services and products to all of our customers.
“This new City Building College is the next step in our journey which allows us to further embed this approach, while retaining our various industry accreditations and improving our outcomes.”
