WILTSHIRE College students with a passion for construction are celebrating the opening of a new centre in Chippenham.

The Technology Centre, which is next to the main campus building, opened its doors on Friday and in addition to carpentry and joinery, which was already offered, students can now also study bricklaying and plumbing at three levels and as an apprenticeship.

Principal Amanda Burnside, who joined staff and students at the opening, said: "It’s great that the college has been able to quickly respond to local construction industry demand and extend construction courses at all its campuses in Wiltshire including this exciting new centre at Chippenham."

The college has refurbished the old sports hall for the centre to extend its provision after it was revealed more that 6,000 jobs are expected to open every year in the South West for the next five years due to infrastructure development.

Steve Gingell, who is head of construction and the built environment, said: “This is a very exciting time for Wiltshire College and the Chippenham campus.

“The construction sector requires skilled tradespeople to meet the demand of the industry due to a skills shortage and the increase in the growth of new housing.

“Learners who are studying these additional courses at Chippenham will gain the necessary skills and attributes to meet employers’ needs and become the next generation of workers."

Seventeen-year-old Ryan Parfitt from Calne, who has progressed to Level Two Site Carpentry after successfully completing the Bench Joinery course believes the new centre is fantastic.

He said: “We are really excited to have moved into the Technology Centre in a more open workshop and be working alongside all the other construction trades.”

The college is also now offering a Civil Engineering qualification aimed at those who wish to pursue careers in construction management via its new M K Church Civil Engineering Academy where there are also direct links into university programmes.