A Durham college has launched a career trust in an aim to address a skills gap after it was revealed the North East with need an extra 9,250 construction workers by 2026.

New College Durham has launched the Career College Trust Digital Construction Framework to their further and higher education Construction and Built Environment learners.

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The new framework looks to build on the colleges employer-led curriculum in a move to help tackle the North East talent and labour in the construction industry.

According to the latest estimates by the Construction Skills Network report estimates that the North East will need an extra 9,250 workers by 2026.

Mark Anderson, vice principle at New College Durham, said it was “vital” that education and industry come together “now more than ever.”

He added: "For us to play a leading role in developing the future talent of the North East and beyond, we need to work with the right organisations with the latest knowledge, contacts, and tried and tested models, which is why we chose to partner with Career Colleges Trust.”

Working together with other colleges will also be a way to “deliver the best possible learning experience” for students Mr Anderson argued.

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He said: “We also like how the Career Colleges' model encourages and supports collaboration with other colleges.

“We can definitely see the advantages of how working together to share best practices, whether that's curriculum design and innovation, staff resourcing or sharing access to employer-led webinars and talks, will deliver the best possible learning experience for our students and equip them with the work-ready skills and knowledge needed to build successful careers in the construction industry."

Bev Jones, Career College’s Digital Construction project manager, said it’s important that industry and education begin to “truly align.”

She added: “We are actively addressing the challenges around attracting and recruiting appropriately skilled and digitally savvy talent into the industry through the Digital Construction Project, a five-year project funded by Sir Robert McAlpine, which puts collaboration and an employer-led curriculum at its heart.

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“But we can only make real change by working with forward-thinking employers and colleges that are ready to shake things up and deliver the skilled construction workforce of tomorrow - a reason we are thrilled to welcome our latest Career College, New College Durham."

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