The department, one of the best-equipped in the country, is the final stage of a £3 million development project to enlarge the college’s construction facilities and provide specialist workshops for different crafts.
John Malone, Head of Construction and Engineering at CRC, said it was a superb addition to the college.
“The new department means our students and apprentices can learn in a real work situation. Having a full-sized house gives the learners a big advantage – they can practice painting in all sorts of room settings, from a kitchen to a hallway, and on different floors, making them far more skilled and employable,” he said.
“It is a fantastic addition to our construction facilities at a time when more and more students are choosing painting and decorating as their career. With the wide variety of training we are now able to offer in this area, our learners have fantastic opportunities to gain the high levels of skill industry demands.”
Principal Anne Constantine formally opened the department at a celebration event attended by employers in the industry including Cambridge Classics, M G Payne and Corbett & Cook.
Students, apprentices and staff were also at the opening, with local employers getting the opportunity to find out more about painting and decorating apprenticeships.
Pictured CRC principal Anne Constantine opens the college’s new Painting and Decorating department