Newton Abbot centre sneak preview

Newton Abbot centre sneak preview

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Created on Monday, 02 July 2012 08:00

South Devon College's new Bradley Lane training centre in Newton Abbot opened up its centre to the public recently for a sneak preview prior to opening.

The centre is a dedicated automotive engineering and motorcycle maintenance courses as well as sustainable construction provision including brickwork, painting and decorating, plastering and carpentry multi skills. Short courses, evening provision and apprenticeship opportunities will be available and facilities include teaching rooms, specialised workshops, and IT suites.

 The automotive section of the centre is all but finished, with the construction section not far behind, and the entire centre is due for completion at the end of July. South Devon College held two open days at the centre this month to encourage locals and potential students to explore the new facility.

“The training centre is progressing very well, and we had great feedback from people attending the open days we held,” said Steve Caunter, Senior Section Head for Marine, Automotive, Computing & Engineering at the College, “We’ve already had a lot of applications for courses to be delivered at Bradley Lane, it’s very popular.”

“The new facilities will provide top quality skills training in automotive engineering, motor cycle maintenance and construction skills to give a better chance of employment and future jobs,” said South Devon College Principal Stephen Criddle, “We hope the new facilities in Bradley Lane will be open soon, as we respond to the challenge to support and encourage jobs and growth with high quality local provision.”

The open days occurred just weeks after the opening of the College’s new hairdressing and beauty therapy centre in Newton Abbot, based at Pearl Assurance House on the Courtney Street in the town centre. The new provision has seen half of the first floor transformed into one hairdressing and one beauty therapy training salon, complete with teaching rooms, IT facilities, toilets and a reception area. Courses taught at the facility include hairdressing levels 1 & 2 and beauty therapy levels 1 & 2, in full-time, part-time and evening course formats - the College are also hoping to branch into apprenticeships in the future. 

Other existing provision based at Pearl Assurance House focuses on educational programmes designed to give young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) the skills and support to progress on to College, get into work, or gain an apprenticeship. Facilities already include purpose-built painting and decorating, beauty therapy, IT resources and a life skills area - chosen by the students themselves to help develop their skills and prepare them for their next step and healthy independent living.

South Devon College has delivered courses at Pearl Assurance House, Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot for a number of years; the centre was previously used by the College’s Business Advantage section for employer and business training, which is now delivered from the nearby Heathfield Industrial Estate on the A38.