Industry leaders, employers and educators marked the official launch of the North-West Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC), a major new initiative set to strengthen construction skills across the region.
The event was held at Wigan & Leigh College, a member of the GMColleges consortium of further education colleges across Greater Manchester which also includes Trafford & Stockport College Group and seven others. The selection of the college for the initiative highlights the city-region’s role as one of just ten areas nationally chosen by the Department for Education to lead the transformation of construction training.
Wigan & Leigh College Principal and CEO Anna Dawe OBE outlined how the North-West CTEC will bring colleges and employers together to deliver high-quality training designed around real industry need. She said:
“The North-West CTEC will raise the bar for construction training, bringing together green skills, digital innovation and excellence in traditional trades to meet the real needs of industry. Together with our partners, we’re building something that goes beyond one college, we’re building the skilled workforce our region needs for the future.”
Anna was joined by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who spoke about the vital role a skilled construction workforce will play in delivering new homes and good growth across the city region.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“The choice of Wigan & Leigh as the North-West CTEC is a huge win for Greater Manchester. It reflects strong leadership at the college, and what can be achieved when partners work together to tackle skills challenges.
“If we are serious about delivering the homes our communities need and supporting good growth, we must train the skilled workforce to make it happen.
“This centre will bring together green, digital, and traditional construction skills, to provide the very best training for our young people, and clear routes into high?quality careers.”
Backed by a £100 million national investment, Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will train 40,000 skilled workers by 2029, supporting the delivery of 1.5 million homes and critical infrastructure projects. Led in the North-West by Wigan & Leigh College, the CTEC will operate through a hub-and-spoke model, working with colleges and training providers across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Liverpool, Cumbria and Cheshire to ensure young people can access top-quality construction training close to home.
Alongside the CTEC launch, a second afternoon event featured a roundtable bringing together Heads of Construction from colleges across the North-West to discuss the skills challenges facing the sector and how collaboration through the CTEC network can help address workforce shortages, modernise training and support sustainable growth.
Guests also enjoyed an “Official Pie Ceremony”, a nod to Wigan’s heritage before touring the college’s state-of-the-art facilities, including its Future Energy Zone and industry-standard workshops where students train using the same equipment and technologies found on modern construction sites.
Photo caption: (L-R) Will Swan, Director Energy House Labs at University of Salford; students; Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham; and Principal of Wigan & Leich College, Anna Dawe OBE
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