Midas Construction has been appointed to build a £6.3million STEM and Health Skills Centre in Cornwall which will train the aerospace, space, creative, energy, mining and health sector workers of tomorrow.
The new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and Health Skills Centre is being built in Bodmin on behalf of Truro and Penwith College.
It is being supported by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is meeting £3.78million of the costs after successfully bidding for funds through the Government’s Getting Building Fund for “shovel ready” projects.
READ MORE: {}
The building will aim to transform learning opportunities for young people in Cornwall and equip them with the industry-relevant skills they need to succeed.
Midas Construction, , will begin work on the project in early 2021 on land adjacent to the A30 in Bodmin, with completion due in March 2022.
Once open, the centre will offer engineering, manufacturing and digital skills for the aerospace, space, creative, energy and mining sectors, in line with the LEP’s Local Industrial Strategy.
It will also provide a range of locally-delivered nursing and care apprentices up to and including registered nurse, extending the college’s current work with the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust to other health providers across the county.
The idea is to make a significant contribution to meeting the current staffing shortfall in health together with providing career routes wholly locally based and through paid apprenticeships.
Most Read
Mike Borkowski, business development director at Midas Construction, said: “We are delighted to be a partner in this transformational project which will provide local people with increased access to high-quality learning opportunities while ensuring that Cornwall’s key industrial and health sectors have a ready source of highly skilled and qualified staff.
“This new scheme continues the successful relationship between Midas and Truro and Penwith College through delivery of the Valency Building, a £7million specialist technology facility being built by Midas at the College’s Truro campus, which is nearing completion.
“As a Cornwall-based business, we will be kick-starting the positive impact the STEM and Health Skills Centre will have on the Cornish economy by using the construction phase to maximise opportunities for local employment through our local supply chain and in particular supporting training and apprenticeships in Cornwall.”
The STEM and Health Skills Centre will provide a wide range of post-16 education in areas such as engineering, digital and manufacturing. Features of the new facility will include engineering workshops, a health simulation suite and modern digital technology.
Get your BusinessLive news direct and all in one place
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute.
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
In total, the centre will offer 120 apprenticeships per year and is expected to help 300 people annually into further learning, as well as creating 15 new jobs and supporting 150 businesses.
Don’t miss
Martin Tucker, principal at Truro and Penwith College, said: “We are delighted once again to be working with Midas Construction on the delivery of such an important building that will help secure the future of so many young people entering into dynamic and sustainable careers, particularly in the north and east of Cornwall.
“Everyone at the College has no doubt that by working in partnership with Midas Construction, the Ottery building, as it will be named, will become a centre of technology, health and science that will become an iconic part of Cornwall’s skills-based economy and socio-economic progression for generations to come.”
Frances Brennan, chair of the LEP’s employment and skills board, said: “It’s vital that we continue to build links between employers and education and give people of all ages the opportunities to develop their skills in existing and emerging parts of our economy.
“We are looking forward to seeing Midas begin work in the weeks ahead on what will be a vital skills and education facility for Cornwall.”