Fareham College shortlisted for national award

The Hampshire institution is in the running to become Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year

Posted by Julian Owen | February 22, 2019 | People, policy, politics, money

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Fareham College has been announced as a contender for Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards, organised by FE Week and AELP.

The college was shortlisted for its civil engineering and groundworks apprenticeship (CEGA) and Lee-on-the-Solent-based civil engineering training centre (CETC). 

Both projects are a partnership between Fareham College and the Solent Civil Engineering Employers Group (SCEEG), a body working collaboratively to establish skills supply for the sector. 

CETC is a mock construction site that provides civil engineering apprentices a realistic training environment in a bid to get them site-ready. CEGA, meanwhile, has been co-designed by SCEEG member organisations and offers 20 weeks of initial intensive basic training. In so doing it aims to allow apprentices to develop their skills before completing their assessments on employers’ sites. 

The programme is enjoying fantastic success and already delivering what we set out to achieve

Each project has attracted national and government interest as an example of an employer-led, co-designed apprenticeship programme, designed to meet skills shortages and employers’ needs.  

Nigel Duncan, principal of Fareham College, said: “Our aim has been to help tackle the country-wide skills shortages that hamper civil engineering companies meet their ambitious business growth targets, and to equip civil engineering apprentices with the skills employers really need. The programme is enjoying fantastic success and already delivering what we set out to achieve. I’m incredibly proud of its strong reputation among businesses, and am thankful to everyone who has contributed to it being shortlisted for this fantastic award.” 

Winners will be announced at a gala awards dinner at the ICC Birmingham on Thursday 28 March.