An engineering training provider has taken over a building in Derby that was once home to a national centre devoted to training construction apprentices.
Betterweld has signed a five-year lease on the 7,000 sq ft building in Downing Road, on the West Meadows Industrial Estate.
The property was formerly home to the National Construction Academy, which was launched in 2016 and officially opened by DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles.
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Set up with the aim of addressing a shortage of skills in the construction sector, it was backed by a partnership between Derby firm Hodgkinson Builders and training provider 3aaa.
However, following the collapse of 3aaa last year, the construction academy closed and the Downing Road property was put on the market.
A new academy to support the next generation of bricklayers has since been formed thanks to a partnership between Hodgkinson and London Road-based Access Training.
Since the academy’s closure, the premises have been marketed by BB&J Commercial, which has secured the deal with Betterweld.
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At present the property is currently the subject of a thorough scheme of refurbishment and modernisation, ahead of it opening next month in time for the forthcoming academic year.
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Chris Keogh, senior surveyor at BB&J Commercial, said: “Betterweld is a specialist industrial training provider and consultancy - and their move to a substantial training centre will enable them to provide more opportunities to those entering and progressing through their chosen career in this area.
“As soon as we were aware of their requirement for Derby we were confident that this building would be the right fit for them.”
Mark Richardson, partner at BB&J, said: “This letting will see the company breathe new life into the property, as well as provide vital educational and training services for all ages within the Derby and Derbyshire area.
“As Betterweld specialises in all things fabrication, the opening of the Derby site seems to be a logical step given that the city is home to several major employers in the manufacturing and engineering industries, including Rolls-Royce, Toyota and Bombardier.”