Ex Vestas workers find new skills at Southampton City College
A group of former Vestas workers were among the first to start a brand new course at Southampton City College last month. Five men who were made redundant from the wind power company met with the Minister for the South East, Jonathan Shaw MP ahead of starting City College’s new aluminium welding course, which is the first of its kind in the Solent region.
More than 20 former Vestas workers and two other students will be the first to take the course, which is being taught in the college's new aluminium welding facility, opened by The Rt Hon John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in July.
The course was established following work undertaken by a partnership of Marine South East, the Technology Skills Project and Southampton City College working with South East Region marine companies to cater for the demand for specialised skills in the aluminium boat building industry.
City College is working with companies such as South Boats on the Isle of Wight, Aluminium Shipbuilders Ltd, Palmer Johnson Yachts and Burgess Marine in Dover to develop the course, which will provide students with their codification examination (Lloyds & DNV). Demand is so high that the 16-week courses will run back-to-back throughout the year.
The course will provide vital new skills and training, which will help the former Vestas workers get back into employment and help other students progress in their careers.
Lindsey Noble, Principal and CEO of City College, said: "City College is pleased help the former Vestas workers so soon after they were made redundant and I hope that by training with us, it won't be long until they are back in employment. City College is dedicated to providing people from all walks of life with the relevant skills they need to succeed, whether they are school leavers, currently employed or, like these former Vestas employees, have been made redundant and are looking to update their skill set. Our adult learners have a 95 per cent success rate and I am confident that our first influx of welders on the new course will continue this trend."
The aluminium welding course is set to benefit the south coast's boat building industry, where a shortage of skilled aluminium welders has been an issue for some time. The course is unique as the methodologies will be taught for plating in excess of 40mm in thickness which will require modern techniques being taught to ensure full penetration welds.
The course was established in a partnership between City College and south coast boat builders in order to cater for local demand for specialised skills in the aluminium boat building industry. The 16-week aluminium welding course was set up to provide employers with a highly-qualified workforce of welders trained in the most relevant and technologically up-to-date skills. City College worked in conjunction with companies such as South Boats on the Isle of Wight, Palmer Johnson Yachts and Burgess Marine in Dover to develop the course, which will provide students with their codification examination (Lloyds & DNV). Demand is so high that the 16-week courses will run back-to-back throughout the year.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC), supported the college in the development of the new £48,000 aluminium welding facility, where the course is taught. It features six aluminium and 12 ferrous welding machines, one of which was generously donated by Hampshire Welding Limited.
For further information on these courses contact Ken Cast at City College by e-mailing kc@southampton-city.ac.uk or calling 02380 724722.
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