It has been reported that a brand new skills college is in the planning stages for development in the London area. Set to be positioned in the widely reported Nine Elms area, the skills college is expected to offer a construction skills academy which can support the development of skills across the construction industry; something which has oft been reported as essential with the supply of construction jobs greatly outweighing the supply of those skilled individuals to fill those positions.

In a bid to ensure those skills provided to up-and-coming industry professionals, Lambeth College has announced that employers are to play a key role in the creation of the curriculum and study schedules for the academy, allowing for those key stakeholders to ensure that the flow of workers to come from the scheme will be fit and able to support the continued success of the sector.

In support of the endeavour, leading UK construction firm Carillion, has already expressed its backing of the academy, and will also support the success of it through promotion of it both within, and external to its own extensive supply chain. And with such backing, a high degree of interaction from employers is hoped for.

Carillion’s Enterprise Manager, Chris James commented: “This exciting new partnership between Lambeth College and Carillion will establish a construction training academy as part of a pan-London solution and be key to addressing the skills shortage in London and the South East.”

Over the course of the first five years of practice, it is hoped that the academy will see the creation of up to 1,400 jobs and 3,000 apprenticeships to be developed, providing a considerable funnel of skilled workers into the industry; skills which, by nature of the courses to be provided, will be instilled through real-work practices and training.