Woodcraft Training Services

Woodcraft Training Services was established in March 2004 in the Stockton Business Centre.

The aim of the centre was to provide courses to students aged between 14-16 years old (Y10 and Y11) and to introduce them to basic carpentry and joinery skills with a view to taking up a career in the construction industry.

Since November 2005 we have become an approved by City&Guilds Centre delivering courses in Basic Skills in Construction (6217) Level one carpentry and joinery elements.
The course is run over a two year period, after which the students gain a City&Guilds qualification, if successful. Students work on a challenging range of projects designed to teach them good basic hand tool skills along with modern production methods. The students also build a portfolio whilst on the course and this can be taken to any interviews as evidence of their achievements to date. A series of practical skills tests are taken, eight in total, this will give the student the full City&Guilds 6217 certificate level one, an ideal start for any young person wishing to pursue a career in carpentry and joinery.

The training is carried out in two superbly equipped workshops by qualified joiners who are also qualified teachers. This year our first cohort of students completed the course and are now seeking to carry this training forward to become apprentice joiners. Two students have already been accepted by post 16 training providers, two are joining the armed forces with a view to further trade training and another is at interview stage with the post 16 training providers.

This course was initially funded by West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust and European funding Middlesbrough Council’s Regeneration team are now funding the course through to July 2007 with support from Connexions Kick-start. The students that gained the qualification this year are all from Kings Manor School their names are Matthew Murphy, Danny Milner, David Robinson, James Docherty and Craig Brown.
David Robinson won a learning achievement award presented by West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust for his effort and commitment whilst on the course.

We would like to speak to employers in the area who may wish to interview these students with a view to offering apprenticeships. We will have thirty students completing the course in July 2007 many of whom have expressed an interest in working in the industry.

For further information about courses and to visit the workshops please contact Ian Coning. Head of Centre on 07788 585 824

Photographs from left to right:
Ian Coning (Head of Training Centre), David Robinson, Matthew Murphy and Tony Sedgewick (Business Centre Officer).

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