Construction students see new campus

Construction students have been given an insight into a live major project during a tour of East Riding College’s new £14m Beverley campus.

The learners, who are currently studying bricklaying and joinery at the College, were shown round the site and given an in-depth talk on construction methods as part of their studies.

The four-storey building, which will open to students in September, is part of the Flemingate shopping and leisure development in central Beverley and is being built by Houltons.

The exterior of the building is almost complete and the project is now moving onto the internal finishing stage, with electrical and mechanical installations taking place prior to wall, floor and ceiling finishes.

Level two bricklaying student Roy Carmichael, 17, of Walkington, said: “Seeing a site in action with people working on it is the best way of finding out what it’s like to work in the industry. It was interesting to hear how the project is moving ahead and all the different methods Houltons are using in the build.”

Ryan George, 18, who is studying on the same course, said: “It was a worthwhile experience visiting the new College site. It gave us a chance to watch how a site operates and see some of the theory we study put in practice.”

The College is introducing, in September, new courses in electrical engineering and plumbing, in addition to its existing courses in bricklaying, joinery, plastering and civil engineering.

Tutor James Baron said: “Having the new College site gives us as construction tutors the chance to showcase to potential construction workers of the future a real working large building site. It highlights to them the planning, co-ordination and hard work which are put into the running of a project and it gives them the chance to see construction details in an environment we cannot replicate fully in the College. The site visit programme is an essential part of their studies to help out full-time learners prepare for work.”

Houltons commercial director Keith Gilson said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the students onto the site and to help them to understand the various techniques we are using in the project. These young people are the construction workers of the future so we were pleased to give them an insight which will help with their development.”

The new Beverley campus will feature 30 teaching rooms with specialist IT and engineering facilities and a large Learning Resource Centre with access to a wide range of digital and printed reference materials.

It will also feature industry standard hairdressing and beauty therapy salons, a restaurant and a travel agency, which will provide realistic training facilities for students and be open to paying members of the public.

All of the College’s Beverley courses will switch to the new campus from September and the old buildings, in Gallows Lane, will make way for a new housing development.

For more information about the new Beverley campus, including an animated walkthrough video, go to www.eastridingcollege.ac.uk/flemingate