A local housebuilder has done its bit to support the next generation of construction professionals with a major donation to Derby College.

Persimmon Homes North Midlands donated more than 8,000 bricks to the college’s construction department as part of their mission to assist and promote vocational skills training and invest in the local community.

Derby College offers a range of construction and bricklaying courses designed to help learners progress to skilled employment and higher education. Alongside brickwork, they offer training in carpentry and joinery, plumbing, and other construction subjects, with opportunities to undertake apprenticeships in many of these trades.

The bricks are from Persimmon Homes’s own brickworks factory in South Yorkshire and will be used by students and apprentices to enhance their bricklaying skills and practical learning.

Members of the Persimmon Team visited the College to see how the bricks were assisting students in their studies and speak with them about careers in the construction industry.

Richard Flamson, Construction Director for Persimmon Homes North Midlands said:

“We’re delighted to make this donation to Derby College, whose Brickwork department do an invaluable job in giving young people the skills to thrive in construction. With our developments in nearby Burton and Shepsted, we appreciate the need to have great local constructors to deliver great local houses.

“At Persimmon, we’re dedicated to fostering future talent and equipping young people with the practical skills they need to enter the workforce. I hope these bricks can contribute to making the next generation of builders in Derbyshire.”

Carol Dixon, Director of Employer Partnerships at Derby College Group, said:

“We are hugely grateful to Persimmon Homes for this generous donation. Working with real industry materials gives our students the chance to build their skills in exactly the way they will on site, and that makes a real difference to their confidence and readiness for work.

“It’s a brilliant example of how strong partnerships with employers help us develop the skilled workforce the construction industry needs, and we look forward to welcoming the Persimmon team to see the bricks in action.”