Building Growth South West was developed to provide skills and training to construction SMEs across the South West.

We have extensive experience in supporting small businesses and are committed to enhancing the construction landscape through training opportunities, including the Future of Construction Skills Bootcamp, Digital Skills Bootcamps and Business Finance Fundamentals.

Our team works with a wide range of partners to provide opportunities along with a network of SMEs, large construction employers across the region, expert training providers and local authorities across the South West of England.

Contact: Building Growth South West

The Countryside Partnerships Skills Academy is an innovative programme designed to combat the nationwide skills shortage affecting the construction industry. Each Skills Academy comprises an 8-week training course designed to give learners basic theoretical and practical training on a ‘live’ construction site, as well as work experience placements, site visits and careers advice. Learners are based in an on-site classroom studying construction theory and completing practical demonstrations before spending time with Partnerships’ subcontractors to further develop their practical skills through work experience placements.

Contact: Tatiana Fernandez

Exeter College is an award-winning, world class college. They are Devon’s only Ofsted Outstanding further education college. Their vision is to shape the future by delivering excellence to realise the ambitions of their learners, city and region.

Exeter College was also named best in the South West for employer satisfaction in Apprenticeships. As an organisation, nationally they are in the Sunday Times Top 100 Not for Profit Employer list.

Contact: Luke Moss

The Focus Training Group comprises four brands who consistently deliver exceptional quality apprenticeship and short course training across five dedicated centres in Bristol, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Plymouth and Redruth. The ethos of the company is: To realise every learners’ full potential by offering quality training to all who want to improve skills, qualifications and career prospects.

Contact: Josh Ridley

For 13 years Greenlight has prided itself on providing excellent service to all its customers, and in 2023 they are committed to providing even more opportunities for their clients to develop, grow, train, and thrive in this ever-changing industry. Now offering 15 different Apprenticeship pathways across 14 different trades, Greenlight have recently expanded into Bristol too, allowing them to provide opportunities across the West and South West of the UK.

Contact: Charlotte Davidson

At Shared Apprenticeships, we employ entry-level construction apprentices from the local community on flexible work placements with contractors in the area and see them through to completion with a local college or training provider. Our apprentices are in L2 Trades and L3/L4 Technical and Management roles, and most are aged 16-21 so we provide HR management, a Mentor for guidance and Early Careers Manager for academic supervision.  We are a not-for-profit social enterprise and can help if you want to ‘grow your own’, but don’t have capacity to recruit, employ, find college provision, mentor, and support a young apprentice through to completion. Please get in touch for an informal chat.

Contact: Shared Apprenticeships

At The University of Exeter we have a long history of working in partnership with business and were one of the first Russell Group universities to create customised degree apprenticeships. Degree apprenticeships offer an innovative and cost-effective way of attracting, training and retaining high-calibre employees and graduates to your business.

As Impact and Partnership Development Officer facing Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeships, Jonny’s primary role is to support both employers and apprentices through the full lifecycle of the Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship here at The University of Exeter.

Contact: Jonny Gurr

As Faculty Placement Consultant, Ciaran is responsible for advising senior stakeholders within the Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy about the development and delivery of high-quality degree programmes with placement components. His duties also include developing relationships with external stakeholders interested in supporting the University’s placement modules.

Contact: Ciaran Stoker