A college has teamed up with local firms to train teenage and adult plumbers and electricians at its new Technical Skills Centre.
UTC@harbourside, in Newhaven, which recruits from Brighton and Hove as well as from Mid Sussex and East Sussex, is opening the new Technical Skills Centre in September.
The UTC (university technical college) is hosting the first of a series of events about the courses on offer at its Newhaven base from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday (13 July).
A spokesman said: “The Technical Skills Centre is a response to the needs of local industry, helping to develop skills which are needed throughout the UK on the back of government pledges to build a million houses throughout the country within the next five years.
“The construction sector has forecast that it must recruit more than 400,000 workers a year if this demand is to be met.
“And that’s not to mention the regeneration plans for Newhaven itself.
“The UTC@harbourside Technical Skills Centre will provide students with the training to succeed within the plumbing and electrical industries and give them the opportunity to put these skills to the test with local employers involved in the regeneration of the area.
“We are working closely with a number of local partner companies, including KSD Support Services and Plumbase, to ensure that both sixth form and adult education training is relevant for local companies who are currently looking to recruit apprentices in these fields.”
The UTC, in Railway Quay, Newhaven, already takes 14 to 19-year-olds. As well as GCSEs, the college also specialises in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects for post-16s.
For more information, visit the Technical Skills Centre page on the UTC website.
