Leicester College opened its new £1.6m Construction Technology Centre at the Freemen’s Park Campus on Thursday 3 November 2016.

The new Centre was opened during the Leicester Business Festival 24 October – 4 November 2016.

Leicester City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, and Principal of Leicester College, Verity Hancock, addressed the group of local and regional businesses, including Stepnells who built the new Centre.

Sir Peter Soulsby said:

“The Construction Engineering Centre will give real value to the people studying there, but also to local business. I commend the dedication of Leicester College and its partners for the great work here. I look forward to coming back to see the progress in the future.”

The new Construction Centre will enable Leicester College to train new and progressing learners, and up-skill people already working in the construction industry.

Verity Hancock said:

“The opening of the new Construction Centre is vital to the College’s plans to invigorate this important industry in Leicester and Leicestershire; enabling us to better support existing and future learners while meeting the growing demand for construction-based training and education.”

The College currently works with 215 construction companies and 156 self- employed individuals per annum. The facilities will ensure sustainable future growth and high quality apprenticeships.

The Centre, which is part of the College’s continued investment to ensure industry-standard facilities for learners, includes a newly refurbished Carpentry, Joinery and Manufacturing Workshop. Cutting-edge technology includes a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine for teaching automated cutting. This is in addition to the modifications that have been made to the Plumbing, Electrical and Renewables workshops.

Leicester College and the LLEP have worked together to really show that Leicester and Leicestershire is a centre of academic and innovation excellence.