Education leaders impressed after tour of new Construction & Engineering campus

Havering’s Deputy Leader of the Council and two of the borough’s top Education officers met students and viewed the superb facilities at New City College’s brand new £15m Construction & Engineering Centre in Rainham.

Deputy Leader Cllr Robert Benham, who is also Havering’s Cabinet Member for Education, Children & Families, along with Robert South, Director of Children’s Social Care and Trevor Cook, Assistant Director of Education Services, were taken on a tour and watched lessons in action on Friday 21 January.

New City College Principals Alison Arnaud and Janet Smith and the manager of the Rainham campus, Catherine Foley, briefed the visitors on the benefits the new centre would bring to the area as well as to the construction and engineering industries.

They heard about the partnerships that are being forged with businesses to enable students to take up work placements and apprenticeships and about the industry-led courses that provide a clear route to work for young people.

Above: Alfie, an apprentice plumber with East West Connect Ltd, explains the skills he is learning to Deputy Leader of Havering Council, Robert Benham

Students explained to the visitors how they were learning new skills and were able to progress fast using the latest technologies and industry-standard equipment.

Catherine Foley said: “We are bridging the skills gap here and we work with many key employers to develop our work-ready courses which combine academic elements with highly practical vocational and technical experience.

“It was good to show off our advanced facilities and to further build relationships with the education leaders in our borough. They were impressed with the centre and with the opportunities it is bringing to the local area.”

Courses at the Rainham campus include: Bricklaying, Carpentry, Painting & Decorating, Multi-Skills, Construction & the Built Environment, Electrical Installation, Engineering, Engineering (Performing Operations), Engineering Technologies, Fabrication & Welding and Plumbing.

Above: Miles Hayward, who is in his second year of studying the Level 3 Engineering course, shows Havering Council’s Deputy Leader Robert Benham his work

Above: Principal Alison Arnaud, Trevor Cook, Robert South, Cllr Robert Benham, Principal Janet Smith and Catherine Foley at New City College’s Construction & Engineering Centre in Rainham