School visit to our new campus shines a light on the construction industry
We’ve been giving Harrogate school students a guided look around our under-construction new £22m campus.
The visit was organised as part of the college’s ongoing partnership work with Rossett School, and led by the developers behind our redevelopment, Caddick Construction.
Caddick Construction’s Project Manager, Matt Hargreaves, showed a group of Year 10 students around the building site at Hornbeam Park. Matt also explained the different stages of the construction process, and talked about the many, and varied, roles available within the industry.
Real-world lessons
Regional Managing Director for Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire, Steve Ford, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Year 10 students to our Harrogate College site.
“At Caddick, we’re committed to investing in the communities where we work, and providing students with real-world insight into the construction industry is a vital part of that.
“It is always inspiring to see the next generation engaging with our sector. We hope this visit gave them a valuable perspective on the career opportunities available, and piqued their interest in choosing Harrogate College for their further education.”
Our replacement campus will provide new and upgraded training facilities including an advanced construction centre, a replica hospital ward, a digital suite, an electric vehicle workshop and a renewable energy technology centre.
Inspiring the next generation
Principal Danny Wild said: “It was wonderful to welcome the Rossett School students in and give them a firsthand look at a major local building project.
“Construction is so important to North Yorkshire and to our country, which urgently needs more homes.
“To hit the ambitious annual housebuilding targets that have been set will require a significant increase in the industry’s workforce – and that means encouraging more young people to pursue careers in this exciting industry.
“Our new campus and its facilities will enable us to take our training, including in advanced and sustainable construction techniques, to a new level.
“We hope this visit has given the students real insights into both the building process and the wide range of jobs that are available within the sector.”
Partnership in action
Rossett School, meanwhile, said it was grateful to the developers and the college for giving its students ‘genuine experience of what it is like to work on a live construction site’.
A spokesperson said: “Experiences such as these play an important role in helping our students explore future career options and make informed decisions about their next steps.
“We look forward to continuing our excellent partnership with Harrogate College and providing further opportunities for our students in the future.”
Our new campus is being funded by £20 million from the Department for Education plus £2 million from the college’s parent organisation, Luminate Education Group.