A Bristol-based provider of trades courses is now offering a new range of domestic electrical programmes.
South West Construction Academy announced the appointment of Paul Smithies to lead the new domestic courses as part of the new government backed electrical training apprenticeship. The apprenticeship require providers to offer specific home-based courses to address new technologies around smart home systems.
Founded by husband and wife Shane and Nicola McCallum in 2013, South West Construction Academy will be one of the first institutions to offer these courses alongside its plumbing and gas programmes.
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Mr Smithies is a former tutor with Wiltshire College who previously spent 16 years running his own business. He will join a team of six tutors in the academy’s 5,500m 2 of offices, teaching rooms and workshops in St Philips.
“The flexible set-up of an independent college lets us quickly offer these new courses,” Mr Smithies said. “Most tutors haven’t kept their fingers on the pulse regarding new technologies over the years.
“I believe that home automation is the future of domestic electrical engineering – smart homes with systems linked to mobile phones are going to be one of the major ways in which we manage our nation’s energy requirements. So we’re going to offer both domestic and commercial apprenticeships as well as a range of short courses – 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, PV solar installations, car charging and inspection testing – all of which meet the changing need.”
South West Construction Academy recently marked 10 years in business. The academy added that it has invested in creating a new workshop specifically for electrical engineering, with space for a dozen students each occupying their own workstations.
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Mrs McCallum said: “We are delighted to have secured Paul’s services, to oversee delivery of the new courses to the cohorts we have starting in November and just before Easter next year.
“We believe we now have one of the strongest tutoring teams in the region, attracted here by the autonomy and freedom we have as an organisation, to deliver high quality, competent young professionals into the industry.
“We’re looking forward to working successfully with our partners to continue to meet the need for new skills in gas, heating and electrical engineering.”