A first-ever partnership between a Suffolk college and the county’s leading construction forum is hoped to inspire more young people to embark on a career in the sector.
The new memorandum of understanding between the Suffolk Joint Construction Committee (SJCC) and Suffolk New College will see SJCC members work closely with the college to create new pathways for young people to enter the industry.
This will include work experience opportunities, as well as site visits, industry talks, mentoring and apprenticeships.
The SJCC is led by Chairman Bryan Wybrow, who has been a Director at Ipswich-based KLH Architects since 2018.
He said: “We are all about promoting the industry across a broad range of subjects with the aim of encouraging more people into the professions we represent.
“We are really proud to have joined as an industry partner with Suffolk New College so that we can support all learners within Ipswich and the surrounding areas.
“I think today is important because getting engaged and invested in education is something we have wanted to do for a long time and that is why we are delighted to have created this formal ongoing partnership.”
Since its launch in 1954, the SJCC has brought together volunteers from professional and chartered bodies across the construction and engineering sectors, ensuring the county’s industry can be represented on the regional and national stages.
Alan Burgess, Director of Construction and Engineering at Suffolk New College, said he hopes the new partnership will see more students enrol on construction and engineering courses at the college.
He said: “Our numbers total around 1,200 young people at the moment in terms of construction and engineering pathways and we are determined that these numbers continue to grow.
“We are incredibly grateful to the SJCC for agreeing to join us on our journey in helping to build a better future for the UK construction and engineering industries both locally and nationally.”
Alan Pease, Principal and CEO of Suffolk New College, added: “So far, we have 136 companies who have signed up to work with us and we are excited by the opportunities that this will bring for both students and partners.
“Businesses are now ringing us to get involved and they are helping us create a line of sight from education into industry by bringing our curriculum to life via the experiences they offer.”
More information on the college’s Industry Partner Programme can be found here.