The first of a cohort of students studying T Level Building Services Engineering for Construction, are now gaining valuable work experience at the site for the new South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School.
Final year students at South Tyneside College, Ryan Ford, 18, from Cramlington and Oliver Fowler, 19, from Boldon, are undertaking various tasks, including participation in planning sessions with the project design team and assessing the role of Building Information Modelling, which is used to create and manage digital information throughout the entire lifecycle of a construction project.
The £95 million college project is a partnership between Tyne Coast College and South Tyneside Council; delivered by award-winning, Castle. It is funded by Tyne Coast College, the North East Combined Authority as part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ drive to revitalise high streets, Department for Education and UK Government.
The scheme will see the college move from its current Westoe site into the heart of the town centre, with a new 15,000 sqm campus on King Street, South Shields. It also includes the repair and upgrade of the listed building on Barrington Street; the conversion of the former BT building into student accommodation; and the development of units within the Redhead area to create additional dedicated college teaching space.
Ryan and Oliver are the first of several T Level students who, from February to May, will undertake four-week block training, under the guidance of college tutors and the Castle on site operations team.
Craig Muldoon, divisional director Build, at Castle, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Ryan, Oliver and other T Level students to get a real feel for the construction sector and the day-to-day activity that takes place on a project such as this. We are liaising closely with the college to ensure that as many students as possible can benefit from the build stage. The Castle teams working on site have, in conjunction with college tutors, developed a programme of activity that will ensure maximum benefit to the students.”
Dr Lindsey Whiterod CBE, Chief Executive of Tyne Coast College, of which South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School are part, said; “Providing our students with real-world experience is a key element of T Level delivery and our new build offers an exceptional learning environment to equip students with the work and life skills employers value.
“The fact we have current students contributing to the creation of a campus for future students is inspiring. This will be the first of many opportunities for a range of our learners as the project progresses.”
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council said: “It’s fantastic to see local students gaining hands on experience right at the heart of this transformational project. The new college campus is not only a major investment in our town centre, but also a huge investment in our young people — helping them build the skills, confidence and real-world insight they need to thrive in the modern construction industry. By working closely with Tyne Coast College and partners like Castle, we’re ensuring that this development delivers opportunities for our residents today, while shaping a stronger and more prosperous South Tyneside for the future.”
In addition to providing work experience for college students, Castle, through its trusted supply chain, will create five new apprenticeships at various stages of the college build project. Castle has also committed, wherever possible, to ensure that as high as 80% of subcontractors and service providers are based in the North East, so achieving strong social value and positive, local economic impact. To date, by measuring the impact of its social value initiatives, generated via the college build, Castle has delivered more than £1.3 million in local economic benefit.