Bradford College cemented its partnership with Persimmon Homes after receiving a generous donation of 18,000 bricks.

The gift is enough bricks to build the external walls of a four-bedroom house and will provide the college’s construction department with essential materials for vital hands-on training.

To celebrate this support, Bradford College hosted a special event at its Trinity Green Campus. The site currently houses the college’s extensive construction and engineering training, including courses in Bricklaying, Plumbing, Electrical Installation, Site Carpentry, Electronic Engineering, and Welding.

Guests included Leader of Bradford Council Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Persimmon West Yorkshire Managing Director Christopher Hull, and Persimmon Apprentice Managers Robert Warburton and Michael Johnson. Following refreshments, the visitors and Bradford College senior managers toured the facilities and met students working in the workshops.

Greg Bourke, Head of Construction at Bradford College, said:

“Strong, proactive employer engagement is essential to building meaningful partnerships that truly benefit our students. We were delighted to welcome back Persimmon Homes to the college and to showcase the progress our learners are making.

“Persimmon’s belief in our vision for the department, and their generous donation of bricks, demonstrates a shared commitment to creating opportunities, and working together to transform lives. We look forward to continuing this valuable collaboration.”

Founded in 1972, Persimmon is one of the UK’s most successful housebuilders with a network of 29 regional operating businesses from North Scotland to the South West of England. Christopher Hull, Persimmon West Yorkshire Managing Director, added:

“It was a pleasure to meet with staff and students at Bradford College and meet the next generation of construction workers. We are delighted to support the college in helping learners and apprentices reach their potential, and we hope these materials go far in supporting them.”

Over the next three years, a 7.7% growth in construction jobs is needed to fill critical skills gaps across the district. Bradford has extensive plans for regeneration and achieving Net Zero, including Bradford City Village, The Southern Gateway, The Bradford Hydrogen Production Facility, and the Bradford Heat Network.

Bradford College is committed to helping students develop the practical skills to succeed in the construction and engineering industry. Recent investments have included state-of-the-art engineering equipment purchased through the Local Skills Improvement Fund to meet skills priorities identified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).

Later this year, Bradford College will also open Junction Mills – a £17m new-build facility for modern automotive and digital engineering curricula, such as electric/hybrid vehicles and advanced manufacturing. As many as 650 students will train on site for careers that support the growth of technology and low-carbon skills capability in West Yorkshire.

Find out more about Construction and Engineering training at Bradford College across a range of levels and trade specialisms.