IRTE News

S&B in £1m overhaul

1st Mar 2010

CAPTION: S&B Chief Exec Jon Winter and Stagecoach UK’s Dorothy Hermiston get the construction underway in front of the Academy’s current students

SOE Academic Partner, S&B Automotive Academy, held a ceremony to commemorate the start of a £1m investment in their Bristol facilities last month. Aiming to become the country’s top automotive academy, the developments will provide hi-tech classrooms, containing state-of-the-art training systems, new offices, workshops and a gym.

The not-for-profit organisation serves the needs of the motor industry, with some 600 trainees and apprentices a year undertaking courses ranging from truck, bus, van and car maintenance, to parts operations and auto-electrics.

The redevelopment will enable the Academy to separate workshops and provide dedicated classrooms for Heavy Vehicle and Transport Engineering Maintenance (TEM) students.

It will also release space in existing buildings, enabling the Academy to offer new frameworks in Light Vehicle and Motorcycle, whilst increasing its provision for schools. The Academy will also continue to provide a dedicated programme for the IRTE’s voluntary technician licensing scheme, irtec, in the new facilities.

The ‘first sod’ was cut by Stagecoach UK’s Deputy Training and Development Manager Dorothy Hermiston. The operator uses the Academy for many of their technician training programmes and Dorothy spoke at the event, describing the strong links between Stagecoach and S&B.

S&B Chief Executive Jon Winter said: “Apprentices are absolutely vital to our industry. This development will create a strong learning environment for trainees. Boosting S&B’s capacity, it will benefit the industry for years to come.”