A landmark £5 million investment will create exciting new opportunities for construction students across Shropshire through a new state-of-the-art Construction Skills Centre at Shrewsbury College’s London Road Campus.
The new centre will give more young people the chance to develop the practical, industry-focused skills they need to build successful careers in construction, while studying at the Ofsted-outstanding college’s London Road Campus. Work is due to begin this autumn, with the centre scheduled to welcome its first students in September 2027.
The new centre will give students more space to build knowledge and develop practical skills as they work towards industry-electrical and plumbing-related qualifications.
The new, purpose-designed training centre will include:
- Specialist facilities for electrical and plumbing training
- Eight new classrooms
- Four new workshops with specialist training bays for practical training and hands-on skills development.
The new Construction Skills Centre will increase the college's capacity to equip students with the practical expertise needed for successful careers in some of the UK’s most important industries and will help address skills shortages in the region's construction sector. The new centre is being funded by the Department for Education’s Construction Skills Capacity Funding together with a financial contribution from the college.
Commenting on the announcement, James Staniforth, Principal of Shrewsbury College, said:
“This is fantastic news for Shrewsbury College, our students and our local community. Securing this funding from the Department for Education is a tremendous achievement that reflects the college's standing and the strength of our vision for the future. The new Construction Skills Centre marks a major investment in Shropshire.”
“This major development will significantly enhance our learning environment, expand opportunities for young people, and ensure we continue to meet the growing demand for places at Shrewsbury College and the evolving skills needs of employers across the region.
Joycelin Hoyland, Chair of Governors for the college, added:
“This investment is part of Shrewsbury College’s long-term strategy to strengthen its campuses, expand capacity to meet demand for places, and ensure students benefit from high-quality facilities that support their ambitions.”
As construction gets underway, the college looks forward to sharing updates with students, staff, employers and the wider community as this landmark project progresses towards completion.