Londoneast-uk and Barking & Dagenham College announce collaboration for students? construction industry training programme

9th November 2015

Barking & Dagenham College and Londoneast-uk are collaborating to launch a new construction industry training programme for students revolving around live work experience at Londoneast-uk Business and Technical Park. <br><br>The strategic alliance between Londoneast-uk and the College will focus on developing student and apprentice training and work opportunities.

It follows a successful pilot project in the summer when students, working alongside industry professionals, assisted on the refurbishment of a meeting space and kitchens at the Park.

The new partnership will see the Londoneast-uk location at Rainham Road South, Dagenham, host a live construction industry training programme where students will develop their skills including painting and decorating, carpentry, plumbing, plastering and dry lining, electrical installation and landscaping.

Londoneast-uk consists of 17 acres of manufacturing, laboratory, research buildings, offices and vacant land which it purchased last year from global pharmaceutical company Sanofi. The location is now being transformed into a multi-occupancy business and technical park to allow other science-related companies to access the highly specialised facilities.

John Lewis, Managing Director of Londoneast-uk, says:

“Over the next few years many businesses will be relocating to Londoneast-uk either to move into existing buildings which can be refurbished to bespoke requirements or into new buildings that can be developed on our site. It means there will be a great deal of building work being undertaken here which offers a marvellous opportunity for students and apprentices at Barking & Dagenham College to develop their construction skills, working alongside seasoned professionals.”

Londoneast-uk will offer Barking & Dagenham College the opportunity to tender for a variety of work packages covering construction and landscaping, forming a customised skills training programme.

Mr Lewis adds:

“This programme will offer real work experience opportunities, drawing on the expertise of Londonast-uk and Barking & Dagenham College that will prepare construction trainees for the real world of work improving their employability factor.”

The College will lead the programme coordination, in conjunction with Londoneast-uk, and will take responsibility for supervision, training, salaries, health and safety of its staff who will all be based at the Park and report to a Project Manager.

Yvonne Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at Barking & Dagenham College, says the summer pilot project involved students studying for the CITB Construction Skills Diploma in Painting and Decorating at Levels 1 or 2.

On the new collaboration between the college and Londoneast-uk Ms Kelly says:

“Creating real work opportunities to complement students’ training has been part of our ethos for years now. This latest innovative partnership will create a pipeline of projects through which construction trainees can develop the skills that employers demand. With London’s booming construction sector facing a skills shortage, Barking & Dagenham College is at the forefront of new training solutions which will benefit local people.”