West London Construction Academy launched

Berkeley and West London College have launched one of the UK’s first purpose-built construction academies.

Aiming to tackle the UK’s construction skills crisis and addressing the exodus of talent from the industry, the new college at Southall Waterside will inspire young people to study in its state-of-the-art facilities.

Recent figures from the RICS show that more people are leaving the construction industry than joining it, threatening productivity and growth. The skills shortage is now seen as an even more pressing problem in the industry than planning and regulation.

Together with the shortage of homes, and government drive to tackle the house building crisis, it is vital that the sector tackles the skills crisis head on. If it does not the workforce will decrease by 20–25% in the next decade.

Berkeley Group chief executive Rob Perrins said: “The West London Construction Academy aims to address the industry’s skills gap for the long term by inspiring the next generation and preparing them for the world of work, including giving them the best chance of securing a placement at the end of their apprenticeships.

“We want people to see that an apprenticeship is often just the first step of a lifelong career. At Berkeley half of our 15 divisional managing directors don’t have a degree, with four starting out as apprentices. The experience they gained onsite was invaluable and goes to show that apprenticeships open doors and are just as valuable as degrees – if not more.”

The state-of-the-art West London Construction Academy is situated on Berkeley’s 88-acre regeneration site in Southall and will be delivered in partnership with West London College.

The new ‘By Industry, For Industry’ curriculum has been designed by Berkeley Group, West London College and trade partners. Apprentices will gain on-the-job experience alongside classroom and online learning, bridging the skills gap for the long term and allowing students to earn as they learn.

The Construction Academy offers a range of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including future plans for virtual reality technology and 3D scanners, to ensure that apprentices have access to the very best tools to aid their learning and development.

A wide variety of courses are available, giving apprentices graduating from the academy the best chance of securing employment. This will maintain momentum and motivation and help retain skills within the industry. Apprentices will also be given the chance to work on the Southall Waterside project, an exciting regeneration project in the heart of London.

Karen Redhead, chief executive at West London College, said: “West London has a number of major projects either planned or underway, from Southall Waterside and HS2, to Crossrail and Old Oak Common; training local people will be integral to the success and timely delivery of these projects – and will be an incredible opportunity to build experience and establish desirable skills. West London College is thrilled to be in the position to offer such an incredible facility to the industry.”

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