Westleigh Academy unveiled
A new vocational centre has been opened in Leicestershire. The £400,000 facility at Countesthorpe Community College, named the Westleigh Vocational Academy, was built in a venture between the college and regional property developer Westleigh Developments, based in Whetstone.
The 3,800 sq ft, single storey building houses five workshops and one theory classroom, each able to cater for up to 14 students at a time.
More than 100 students will be taught at the centre, which provides courses in bricklaying, hairdressing, beauty therapy, joinery, IT and vehicle maintenance.
The college said it will expand its admissions service to 230 students within two years, and expects to offer evening adult learning classes. Five new tutors have also been employed.
Ian Jones, business development manager at Westleigh said: “The brand new vocational academy at Countesthorpe College provides a long-term sustainable training facility for students both pre- and post-16. As a company we strongly believe in the importance of apprenticeships and have recruited three or four every year for a number of years.”
The centre was built using timber frame construction methods and also features photo-voltaic panels, a heat recovery and mechanical ventilation system and LCD lighting.
The Westleigh Vocational Academy has been shortlisted as one of three finalists in the Sustainable Development of the Year category at the 2010 Leicestershire Property and Construction (ProCon) Awards, which take place in November.
