Young people, adult learners, and apprentices are set to gain the skills for jobs in construction at a major training centre being created in Sutton.

The centre will also give the disused Wilko store in the town a new future after Ashfield District Council bought the building on Outram Street and West Nottinghamshire College signed a 125-year lease.

The building will be converted into a modern teaching facility, creating a campus for learners to gain trade skills and qualifications in plumbing and electrical installation.

It will also be a centre for ‘green skills’ courses in areas including ground source and air source heat pump, photovoltaics, and electric vehicle charging and wiring.

Classrooms, workshop space, offices, and a canteen will be created across the three floors and the building’s façade will be redesigned.

It is hoped the campus will be open from September 2025, accommodating around 400 students.

The project is one of 17 being funded by the council’s £62.6m Towns Deal.

Andrew Cropley, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “Our new construction centre will create exciting opportunities for local people across a range of rewarding and well-paid careers, and support businesses in meeting their skills needs.

“The centre will provide a great environment for students and enable us to further modernise our curriculum.

“It will bring hundreds of students into Sutton town centre every day, bringing economic benefits to high street businesses and breathing new life into this large-scale, unused building.”

The funding will also contribute towards the cost of substantial internal alterations to the college’s existing Station Park facility, off Lowmoor Road, Kirkby, to enable the relocation of some curriculum areas under one roof.

These works will enable the development of the college’s engineering centre on Oddicroft Lane, Sutton, into the UK’s first Gene Haas Centre for Advanced Manufacturing.

Coun Vicki Heslop, ward member for Sutton, added: “We are excited to move forward with this fantastic project to turn the former Wilko store in Sutton town centre into a new educational facility for construction students in Ashfield and beyond.

“This will be the fourth construction facility for the college and will allow Ashfield’s young people the opportunity to gain valuable skills to set them up for the future.

“The building is in a fantastic location, close to shops and local amenities, and will provide a welcome boost to local businesses.”