New skills centre to be built in Braunstone

Learners from the Braunstone area of Leicester are to benefit from a new £1.5 million skills training centre, to be built in the grounds of Fullhurst Community college.

Work will start next week on the centre, which will provide training and skills courses in construction and motor engineering. Initially the courses will be for students at Fullhurst and Riverside Community Colleges, although it will eventually offer training opportunities for adults.

The project is jointly funded by Braunstone Community Association (BCA), Leicester Shire Economic Partnership (LSEP) and Leicester City Council.

Gwen Abraham, Vice Chair of BCA and Resident Director, said,“We have had a wonderful team working together to make this a reality. It will be a great facility and another exciting development for Braunstone, giving our young people the hands-on skills that are much needed in Leicester."

Kishor Tailor, Chief Executive of LSEP, said,“The new Vocational Skills Centre will be important development for Braunstone and for the city of Leicester. It will provide a much-needed infrastructure to support vocational training that meets the future skills requirements of the economy. We are pleased to invest £800K in the project."

Mike McPherson, Principal of Fullhurst Community College said: “This facility will allow to us to provide even greater opportunities for young people in Leicester. The current redevelopment of our main building under the Building Schools for the Future programme coupled with access to the Vocational Centre will place the highest quality education facilities in the heart of this community.”

The project partners have asked local students to come up with a name for the new centre and will be announcing the result shortly. The centre is due to be completed in the autumn.