Construction and engineering students at the College’s Newtownards campus are delighted to be continuing their studies in a state-of-the art building at the Victoria Avenue College.
The new 2,486 metre square Construction and Engineering Centre is an extension to the existing building and provides workshops and classrooms for carpentry/joinery and
woodmachining; brickwork; motor vehicle; electrical installation and plumbing.
Students returned to the Newtownards campus in February; the motor vehicle apprentices were being instructed in a unit at Jubilee Road in the town, while the rest of the students were moved to the Bangor campus.
Peter Vauls and Gareth Cromie, both from Newtownards, are first year students on the Motor Vehicle fit and replacement NVQ Level 2 course. Both young men were more than pleased with the facilities in their new workshop. 18 year old Gareth, a former pupil of Movilla High School, Newtownards, had originally undertaken a plumbing course, but due to his previous course.
Course tutor Jonathan Stewart gave high praise to the new workshop and its facilities: “Everything we need is here,” he said. The new motor vehicle workshop is also used for the Monday evening car restoration class and on Wednesday for motor cycle maintenance. Jonathan also revealed a motor cycle course for apprentices will be available next year.
Lee Ashe, from Millisle, is currently taking part in the programme led apprenticeship course in electrical engineering. He described the new workshop at the centre as giving the apprentices much more room to work, with the added advantage of more, up-to -date equipment. Lee had originally planned to complete a construction management course, but is enjoying the electrical apprenticeship, as he prefers to be more hands-on.
The centre cost around £4 million and work will be starting soon on the final phase of the scheme to renovate the original workshops into classrooms. An official opening ceremony is due to take place in August.