The ABC Assessment Centre is to deliver its short duration courses in modern masonry techniques at the ‘Knowledge Quad’, an onsite training hub in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
The weekly sessions will be held each Monday until Christmas, at Kingsbrook Secondary School construction site, with a view to extending the programme by an additional day in the new year.
Ahead of the Quad’s opening, a topping out ceremony was held at the site on Tuesday 28th September to bring together all stakeholders and all those involved in the project. Simon Livett, Manager at The ABC Assessment Centre, attended the event along with representatives from the CITB, the local council and building contractor Morgan Sindall Construction.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to introduce students to our superb skills programme within a purposely-built training site. It will give them a real-world learning experience, which will stand them in good stead as they look to evolve a career in bricklaying. We cannot wait to get started and thank CITB and Morgan Sindall for their support in helping us bring our courses to this fantastic Knowledge Quad.”
L-R: Norma Odain-Hines (Morgan Sindall), Nicola Hieatt (Bucks College Group), Simon Livett (ABC Assessment Centre)
The ABC Assessment Centre will deliver its training courses to brickwork and diploma students from the nearby Buckinghamshire College Group. The sessions will further the Centre’s long-term aim to maintain and improve the quality of brick tradesmanship through a learning programme based on the latest innovations and construction technologies.
The Buckinghamshire facility is the third Knowledge Quad launched by Morgan Sindall Construction in the UK. As with its operations in Salford and Liverpool, the multipurpose training courses, which focus on skills, education, employment and discovery, will take place on a live construction site. By launching the Knowledge Quad, the company aims to create an essential link between industry and education to ensure curriculums align with employer requirements. The ABC Assessment Centre has been chosen specifically for the project to give the best quality modern masonry skills for this type of traineeship.
Simon Livett continued: “The Knowledge Quads are a brilliant innovation, and chime perfectly with our drive to provide skills for students in the local area to have greater contact with the industry and widen their horizons to the opportunities available to them. I look forward to collaborating with all involved with future initiatives.”
