New sustainable construction skills centre coming to Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter

GMI Construction Group has been appointed by University College Birmingham to develop a “state-of-the-art” sustainable construction skills centre in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.

The project, located in the Jewellery Quarter’s Conservation Area, will see GMI regenerate the “iconic” James Cond print works building into a skills centre for University College Birmingham’s intake of construction students next year.

Offering courses in areas such as modular buildings, retrofit construction, and green technologies, the centre will specialise in teaching skills that support the region’s growth areas, including sustainable construction methods and renewable energy.

Current construction students will also have the opportunity to get involved with the build, offering them real-world experience and the chance to help build their own learning facility. GMI will commence building works in October and the project is expected to be completed ready for September 2023’s intake of students.

Gareth Jones, construction director at GMI, commented: “We’re looking forward to working with University College Birmingham on the regeneration of this historic building in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, unlocking new opportunities for the area through improved access to education.

“Improving the sustainability of the construction industry is high on our agenda, so it’s a pleasure to be working on a project that will provide training in this area and equip the future workforce with the skills they need to make a positive change to the industry.”

Professor Michael Harkin, vice-chancellor and principal at University College Birmingham, added: “There is a great need for new talent in the sustainable construction field, with hundreds of thousands of new workers expected to be required in the next few years.

“We look forward to working with GMI to bring this much-needed skills centre to life, and welcoming new students to the facility next year.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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