CONSTRUCTION of Fareham College’s new £4.1m civil engineering training centre (CETC) began with a breaking-ground ceremony.

Fareham-based Amiri Construction will begin building the centre, which will be situated at Solent Airport in Lee-on-the-Solent adjacent to the college’s existing centre of excellence for engineering, manufacturing and advanced skills training campus.

It will be the home for the college’s civil engineering and groundworks apprenticeship and will deliver more than 1,600 groundwork and civil engineering apprenticeships in its first five years of development

Nigel Duncan, principal of Fareham College, said: “The college’s success has allowed us to continually invest in new facilities and the most up-to-date equipment, the CETC, employer-led project is our latest example of this. It will play a pivotal role in supporting and shaping the future of civil engineering and groundworks skills locally, regionally and nationally.”

Due to be competed in autumn of this year, CETC is a partnership between Fareham College and the Solent Civil Engineering Employers Group (SCEEG).

The project has also received £2.8m funding from Solent LEP.

Mark Wells, group chairman of Blanchard Wells and chair of the Solent Civil Engineering Employers’ Group, said, “As an industry we struggle to attract and develop the skilled workforce we need to meet the volume and complexity of civil engineering projects in the region. CETC will deliver what we need.”

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Solent LEP executive director, said: “CETC is truly ground breaking, bringing forward an industry led partnership which will work with the college to transform the skills base for local civil engineering and construction businesses in the Solent region.

“Developing the skills and talent of local residents, so that they can access the job opportunities that are emerging as we continue to invest in new development across the entire region, is also vitally important, as is ensuring that employers have access to the skills needed.”