ISG drives construction skills with Bridgwater College Scheme

ISG is to build a £1.5 million construction and mechanisation training facility at Bridgwater College in Somerset to enable the college to offer courses in a range of civil engineering and construction programmes.

The scheme is being funded by EDF Energy to help ensure that the skills are available locally to help deliver the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project, which the energy supplier hopes will be operational by 2020. The 26-week construction programme will see ISG construct a single storey teaching block with adjacent vehicle storage, and a maintenance and training yard on a brownfield site at the college, ensuring that Bridgwater College can offer both theoretical and practical vehicle and equipment training.

ISG is working with Bath-based architect, DKA, on the design & build scheme, which sees the construction of a traditionally built teaching block, comprising four classrooms, administrative areas and toilet blocks. In the adjacent eight acre training area, ISG will construct two steel-framed structures for storing the training equipment and vehicles, along with two concrete ramps leading from the sheds into the training area. ISG will also build an acoustic bund around the outdoor training area. Preparation of the external training space itself will be carried out by the college following completion of construction works.

ISG’s John Rawlinson, managing director - South West, commented: “This project addresses the need for practical and targeted construction skills and demonstrates how training providers and potential clients can work together to offer skill development opportunities for future generations of construction professionals. The mix of classroom-based learning and hands-on vehicle operation will greatly enhance the facilities available at Bridgwater College and provide an example for other institutions to follow.”