BRICKS HELP NURTURE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

[RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS are critical for the long-term success of any college and West College Scotland, based in Paisley, Greenock and Clydebank, works with hundreds of companies, big and small, across the west of Scotland region.

It is a symbiotic relationship, where students gain the valuable experience they need and businesses ensure they have a pipeline of highly-skilled graduates and apprentices.

Every year at West College over 1,800 Construction and Building Services students choose from 20 courses on offer – from introductory to preapprenticeship, apprenticeship, HNC and Advanced Craft – providing them with the necessary practical, meta and green skills to enter a growing sector in Scotland, supporting housebuilders such as Persimmon Homes.

But the tools and materials needed by the college to deliver those courses are getting ever more expensive; so when Persimmon recently offered to donate 6,000 bricks, the college was quick to take them up on the offer. Immediately put to good use, they allowed final year apprentice bricklayers to go through their skills tests with the very latest materials.

The bricks were then cleaned, re-stacked and are ready for the fresh intake of apprentices this coming August.

The college’s Nathan Tyler commented: “If you're a business looking to make a difference and to be paid back through the talents of a highlyqualified future workforce, be sure to connect with your local college.” q

• For further details visit www.westcollegescotland.ac.uk.