Cumbernauld campus to host inaugural construction course

NEW College Lanarkshire has announced it will offer a course in construction for the first time at its Cumbernauld Campus.

The full-time course, which is called ‘Joinery and Decorating – Internal Refurbishment and Refit’, will begin in August and is aimed at school-leavers or career changers.

The college said there are 32 places available in the first academic year, with plans for 64 students in 2020/2021.

A workshop space will be converted within the campus. Students enrolled on the course will be tasked with using their new skills to fit out and decorate this space. The students will learn skills in joinery, painting and decorating.

The move follows the popularity of a similar construction skills course at the college’s Motherwell Campus. It will be taught by lecturers Donny MacDonald and John McLean.

Martyn Campbell, curriculum and quality leader said, “This is an exciting and new course that is based around a City & Guilds diploma in Construction, with the added opportunity to build real-time, permanent structures within the college environment and workshop areas. Students will work with staff to create small rooms in which they will install plasterboard, coving, skirting boards and doors, as well as completing all the painting and decoration.

“From a bare, empty workshop, they will help create a series of small rooms that will be used in years to come by future students. We’ve had great success in the Motherwell Campus through establishing links with industry, which has directly led to many of the students securing Modern Apprenticeships.”

There are no specific entry requirements for the course and all candidates must be aged 16 or over in August 2019.