Construction begins on Fareham College’s new £4.1m Civil Engineering Training Centre

Construction of Fareham College’s new £4.1m Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) officially began last week with a breaking-ground ceremony marking and celebrating the start of the project.

Fareham-based Amiri Construction began building the Centre, which will be situated at Solent Airport in Lee-on-the-Solent adjacent to the College’s existing CEMAST (Centre of Excellence for Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training) campus.

CETC will be the home for the College’s pioneering Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) and will deliver more than 1,600 groundwork and civil engineering apprenticeships in its first five years of development

Nigel Duncan, Principal of Fareham College, said, “I am so grateful for the support we have received from the Solent Civil Engineering Employers’ Group (SCEEG), the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, Fareham Borough Council and Peter Marsh Consulting; it’s truly a rewarding moment to see construction finally begin.

“The College’s success has allowed us to continually invest in new facilities and the most up-to-date equipment, the CETC, employer-led project is our latest example of this. It will play a pivotal role in supporting and shaping the future of civil engineering and groundworks skills locally, regionally and nationally.”

Due to be competed in Autumn of this year, CETC is a partnership between Fareham College and the Solent Civil Engineering Employers Group (SCEEG). The project has also received £2.8m funding from Solent LEP.

Mark Wells, Group Chairman of Blanchard Wells and Chair of the Solent Civil Engineering Employers’ Group, said, “As an industry we struggle to attract and develop the skilled workforce we need to meet the volume and complexity of civil engineering projects in the region. CETC will deliver what we need and will train young people to begin fantastic careers in this industry.”

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Solent LEP Chief Executive and Board Director, who was at the event, said, “The Solent LEP is delighted it has been able to support this project with Local Growth Fund investment. CETC is truly ground breaking, bringing forward an industry led partnership which will work with the college to transform the skills base for local civil engineering and construction businesses in the Solent region.

“Developing the skills and talent of local residents, so that they can access the job opportunities that are emerging as we continue to invest in new development across the entire region, is also vitally important, as is ensuring that employers have access to the skills needed.”

Dave Gee, Construction Manager, Amiri Construction, added, “We feel honoured to be appointed as the building contractor for CETC and look forward to commencing work on this important new training centre that will bring huge benefits not only to the region, but the construction industry as a whole.”