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A new skills partnership has been established to help bridge the gap between education and careers in construction
Housing association Gentoo, Sunderland College and Bishop Chadwick Education Trust are joining forces to deliver the Gentoo Trades Academy.
The partnership will see 14 to 16-year-olds study towards a specialised construction qualification alongside their GCSEs.
The Academy, launching later this year, will initially be based at Sunderland College’s technical City Campus before moving to the college’s new Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA) when the training centre opens in 2025.
Students will be expected to develop the knowledge and skills that will allow them to progress onto a T-Level or an apprenticeship.
The curriculum will also include retrofit related skills, modern methods of construction as well as health and safety, and essential communication skills when working in customer homes.
Academy pupils will receive a guaranteed unconditional offer to continue their education at Sunderland College and a guaranteed interview at Gentoo for an apprenticeship following graduation from the Trades Academy.
Louise Bassett, Gentoo’s chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted to be able to partner with Sunderland College and Bishop Chadwick Education Trust on this fantastic new venture.
“It’s really exciting to be able to see this come to life. For these pupils to have the opportunity to be trained at the world-class HICSA training facility is amazing and we wish them all the best with their future studies.”
Developing technical skills
Following completion, the HICSA training base will provide local people with the technical skills to build, retrofit and create factory-built new homes.
The project is part of a partnership agreement between Sunderland College and development lead Sunderland City Council, with local firm Brims Construction appointed to deliver the facility.
Ellen Thinnesen, chief executive of Education Partnership North East and Sunderland College, said: “HICSA originated for the collective vision of councillor Miller [leader of Sunderland City Council], Sunderland City Council, MOBIE and Sunderland College.
"What the public will start to hear more about over the coming months is the development of several innovative skills models entirely driven by strategic collaboration.”
Thinnesen added that "a truly employer led curriculum has been designed, uniquely blending technical and national school-based curriculum with the values, skills and competencies required by the construction and housing industries".
