Bridgwater College recently launched a new Civil Engineering and Design Apprenticeship, in partnership with the South West arm of the Technician Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC) and the University of the West of England (UWE), at an event held at the University’s campus in Bristol.

The Business Development team at Bridgwater College developed the ground-breaking Apprenticeship in response to construction industry demand. This unique Apprenticeship will be delivered by Bridgwater College tutors at UWE, enabling over 50 young apprentices from companies such as Atkins, Arup, Mott Macdonald, CH2M, Lafarge Tarmac, and Highways England to have unprecedented access to the university’s superb facilities, including laboratories, workshops and a state-of-the-art reference library.

The Apprenticeship will equip apprentices with a set of skills uniquely tailored to the current requirements of the South West’s construction industry, ensuring that upon completion they will be fully work-ready and able to add value to their employers’ businesses from day one. They will also be able to progress to nationally-recognised degree level qualifications that Bridgwater College and UWE are developing in partnership with TAC to address the current shortage of higher level skills.

Mike Robbins, Bridgwater College Principal said,

“This Apprenticeship will further professionalise an entire industry sector, whilst offering these young people a fantastic start to their careers. The unprecedented access that they have to outstanding teaching from the College tutors and the exceptional facilities at UWE, will raise their aspirations and inspire them to progress to the higher level training that employers so desperately need. Partnerships such as these are helping to raise the bar in education and training generally, and ensuring that businesses in the South West are well-equipped to maximise the wealth of opportunities arising in the region as we move from recession to growth.”

Sheila Hoile (MBE), TAC Project Manager said,

“We’re absolutely delighted with the way that Bridgwater College and UWE have worked with us to develop a training programme that provides the exact mix of knowledge and skills our members need. This new Apprenticeship takes professional and technical education to another level entirely, and for these young people it opens up a multitude of career possibilities and routes to higher education. Importantly, it will also provide a major boost to the construction industry as we gear up for expansion in the months ahead.”