There is much talk of partnership in the construction sector, and most people take this with a pinch of salt. But when South Devon College, now a Centre for Vocational Excellence (CoVE) for the construction sector, opened its new plastering centre, it chose not to invite a local celebrity or MP to officiate. Instead, Neil Turner, the managing director of Ashburton-based Bovey Construction Ltd, officially opened this new resource for students fortunate enough to be in the college’s catchment area.

Why should the college take this stand? Because small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) like Bovey Construction play a major role in training future generations of skilled craftsmen. Contrary to public belief, it is SMEs, not big-name companies, who employ most of the people working in construction today. Not only that, but it is SMEs that make a major contribution to creating a skilled workforce, first by recruiting and mentoring apprentices, and then by offering them full-time jobs.

Neil Turner’s launch speech was particularly to the point, because he does not just talk the talk: 92% of his workforce hold construction qualifications, and seven of his 28 staff are now training at South Devon College. What’s more, as the winner of the top-level award in the 2006 National Training Awards for an in-house training programme for site managers, he was particularly well equipped not just to open the centre but to urge other employers to work with the trainers in pursuit of excellence.

“My personal goal is to manage an excellent construction company, one that excels in all it does. To achieve this we need to provide high-quality training for our people, to ensure that our craftsmen are excellent at what they do and produce a quality product. We can only achieve this by working with colleges like South Devon College through the sector advisory group, and I trust that the college will in turn add value to all our businesses by listening and responding to our needs.”

For an all-round view of construction training, ring the construction section at South Devon College on 01803 540353 and Neil Turner from Bovey Construction Ltd on 01626 821919.