Laura Fraser: Skilling up for the jobs of the future

Here at Forth Valley College, we are transforming the way students learn construction trades through our new Skills Transition Centre (STC).

The STC is a key project as part of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal and represents a £4 million investment from the Scottish government to help us provide training to meet the changing demands of the construction sector.

It represents a major investment in the region’s future workforce, aiming to upskill and reskill local people for sustainable employment in lower-carbon industries. Over the next decade, the STC is expected to contribute to more than 1,660 new jobs and generate £628m in economic benefit.

The STC will develop a programme of next generation training, and accelerate the integration of innovative digital technologies to develop a multi-disciplinary workforce able to capitalise on future opportunities.

It will integrate a new level of technology into learning with the introduction of Augmented Reality Welding Simulators that will reduce costs and be more environmentally sustainable and allow students to spend more hours on practical learning.

Investment in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning technology will enable the creation of 3D models of environments, buildings and landscapes, giving civil engineering and construction students access to next generation technology.

We will also be bringing in drones to give site operators the ability to offer more inspection options and we will be starting to offer courses specifically to give people the skills to help people turn their homes carbon neutral.

Future investment will extend and enhance our ability to offer training in driving simulators to give construction operators the certification they need to operate effectively on site.

Although most training will be at the College, course content can be tailored to meet industry partners needs and be delivered on site. The focus is on providing training with real-world applications.

So what does the mean in real terms for the construction sector? Well, we’ve just recently launched the first Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) approved drone operator training.

This takes operators on a journey through basic drone flying skills through to complex industrial operations such as infrastructure inspections, site surveys and advanced data capture. For the first time, there will be an industry recognised benchmark for industrial drone pilot competency.

To help make net zero homes a reality, we will shortly be launching a course in insulation and building fabric treatment.

This will provide practical introduction to insulation and building fabric treatments for energy-efficient construction and retrofit.

Core topics will cover thermal transmittance values, insulation materials, thermal bridging, breathable systems, airtightness, and damp prevention.

It will provide applied learning with retrofit applications, sequencing, and real-world examples for construction professionals.

We are looking forward to continuing working with the construction sector to provide them with the skilled workforce they need to thrive in a fast-changing industry.