Multi-million pound Sheffield College facilities officially open

Two new multi-million pound Sheffield College buildings specializing in growth sectors to boost the employment prospects for students have opened this term.

The first people to train in the £15.6m creative industries and engineering facilities have started classes following a handover by Clugston Construction last month.

The College, which has a £321m economic impact on Sheffield every year, is investing in provision linked to sectors identified for regional economic growth.

Jason Pepper, executive director, finance and resources, The Sheffield College, said: “Welcoming our first students to our two new landmark buildings is a fantastic milestone for us to reach after seeing the new facilities take shape during the last two years on the Sheffield skyline. Growing the economy is one of the major challenges facing employers and education providers. We are responding by launching new curriculum and facilities that will boost students’ career prospects, fill regional skills gaps and support economic growth.”

Nick Todd, business manager, Clugston Construction, added: “The successful completion of these two high quality projects for The Sheffield College is something Clugston are very proud of. We feel sure their state of the art facilities and eye-catching architecture will help the College deliver outstanding training to the young people of Sheffield for years to come. Building these schemes, which had tight programmes and even tighter space to work in, would not have been possible without the support of the College and the students. Clugston and our supply chain thank them for their cooperation.”

The £6.8m Centre for Technology, Engineering and Design at The Sheffield College Olive Grove campus, Olive Grove Road, features a teaching block with the cutting edge technical classrooms, and workshops and solar panels on the roof.

The four-storey building is marked by a steel sail design and a contemporary atrium which contains a partially glazed flexible pod, to provide a communal break-out area for students.

Approximately £450k of new equipment for electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, motor vehicle, plumbing, heating and ventilation, and sustainable construction has been installed, which has enabled the scheme to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’.

The £8.8mn Centre for Creative Industries at The Sheffield College Hillsborough campus, Livesey Street, comprises a new theatre, as well as drama, dance, television, photography, music and radio studios and £450k of new equipment.

The three-storey building’s technical specification was enhanced by using a Drama by Design consultant for the new theatre, which includes a platform for stage lighting, and a steel framed and wire strung ceiling. Other features include a recording studio and a double height dance studio with a sprung timber floor.

High on the College’s agenda was the need to produce a facility that would be efficient to run and use low carbon technologies. Photovoltaic arrays, natural light and ventilation were incorporated into the design to achieve this. The curved shaped building now extends the existing Hillsborough campus.

Both new build projects have received a total of £10m capital funding from the Skills Funding Agency - money specifically ring-fenced for building projects - approved in October 2013. The facilities have been built by Clugston Construction and designed by Race Cottam Architects.

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