College embraces green construction

Abingdon and Witney College are building a new Green Construction Centre at their Abingdon Campus with first-class facilities, providing skills training of the very highest quality.

The decision to build the centre has come from the large skill shortage in the industry and builds on interest from young people in the sustainability agenda. The centre will complement the new Bicester Construction Centre that opened in February 2021 and our existing centre at our Witney campus.

The centre will offer courses for school leavers, adult learners and existing professionals focusing on core construction skills training taught with a green focus. There will be full and part-time qualifications and apprenticeships offered in:

• plumbing (including renewable technologies)
• carpentry and joinery
• electrical installation.

Courses for existing professionals will include:

• Retro-fit, net-zero, low carbon philosophy and principles
• Renewables: biomass, solar thermal, air source/ ground source
• Modular construction, timber buildings
• Airtightness, ventilation systems, Passivhaus principles

The centre will also offer school engagement programmes and Exhibition and teaching/ demonstration space for suppliers and employers to showcase products and share best practices.

The initial building has started with the steel frame completed and construction will be continuing ready for the centre to open in September 2022.