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New Gas Training and Assessment facility announced for South West College

New Gas Training and Assessment facility announced for South West College

Posted: 07 Sep, 2017

A new state-of-the-art Gas Training and Assessment facility is to be provided at South West College Technology & Skills Centre. The College is embarking on this initiative to build local capacity in support of the multi-million pound Gas to the West project which has been announced. 

The Training and Assessment facility is scheduled to come on stream in late 2018, coinciding with the arrival of Natural Gas in Enniskillen. South West College and SGN Natural Gas, which is responsible for delivering the £250m Gas to the West project, confirmed this week that plans for the training facility are currently at an advanced stage. 

Darren Young, Head of Business Development with SGN Natural Gas, said he was delighted with South West College’s vision which would provide accredited training courses for people working or seeking to work in the gas industry. 

He continued: “We are very excited that the Gas Training and Assessment facility at South West College Technology and Skills Centre is due to open in conjunction with the arrival of natural gas in Enniskillen, expected in late 2018. We are also proud of the fact that SGN Natural Gas will provide a gas service pipe and meter to connect the new training facility to the new natural gas network. 

“This Training facility will enable people in the catchment area of South West College to avail of the most up-to-date courses accredited by the gas industry, in state-of-the-art facilities with professional trainers in their own locality instead of potentially having to travel further afield to places offering this type of training.” 

Ciaran McManus, Deputy Head of Department at South West College, confirmed that planning for the provision of gas installation courses had been ongoing for the past year and was now at an advanced stage. 

He continued: “A College team has carried out extensive scoping of this opportunity and space has been identified at the Technology & Skills Centre to accommodate the development of a natural gas training and assessment facility. The College is committed to meeting the skills development needs of the community, positioning local people to take advantage of employment opportunities. I look forward to working with all stakeholders involved in the Gas to the West project and to announcing furtherdetails as progress is made”. 

Michael McAlister, CEO of South West College, said he is delighted to welcome progress on the provision of the proposed new training facility, with a view to courses being available for enrolment during the 2018/2019 academic year. 

“We are very happy with this training development which will equip people within our catchment area, and further afield, with the necessary skills and expertise to work in the gas industry coinciding with the Gas to the West project.  Our aim is to equip local people with the skills and qualifications to avail of employment opportunities in the region.” 

SGN Natural Gas will be delivering natural gas mains, services and meters to nearly 40,000 customers over the next 40 years in eight main towns in Counties Tyrone, Fermanagh and Derry: Strabane, Cookstown, Dungannon, Coalisland, Omagh, Enniskillen, Derrylin and Magherafelt.