Member Article

Voyage of discovery for construction diploma academics

Academics from across the region are setting sail on a voyage of discovery along the River Tyne hosted by Newcastle College.

Today, teachers from Newcastle, North Tyneside, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, who will be involved in the delivery of the new Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment when it is launched in September 2008, will be attending a training workshop which will be held on a boat.

With the help of Newcastle, Gateshead, South and North Tyneside planning departments, the delegates will see the diploma brought to life, hearing real life examples which include the redevelopment scheme of Newcastle Quayside, the background to the New Tyne Tunnel and the new Kittiwake Tower, as they pass each area on their trip along the Tyne.

Peter Renshaw, Curriculum Development Leader at Newcastle College said: “It is great to be at the beginning of a new Government initiative, which places such great importance on vocational qualifications and to be at the forefront of development of what is going to be recognised as the new qualification of the future.

“We have an exciting day planned for the delegates and are confident that they will go away having had not only an enjoyable day but also a greater understanding as to the benefits of the new diploma.”

The Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment has been developed in close consultation with employer representatives within industry and with other key stakeholders, including Higher Education. It is firmly set in a real world context and has been designed to motivate the learner. It will provide learners with an overarching appreciation right across the sector, including aspects such as design, construction, valuation and use, job roles, craft and operative, technical and professional, together with the impact of the built environment on society, business and the environment.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .