College chosen to specialise in construction

West Suffolk College said it did not currently know how much of the £100m it would receive

A college has been named by the government as one of 10 specialist construction colleges across the UK.

West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds will receive a share of £100m investment as part of a push to train more bricklayers, carpenters, roofers and electricians.

The government said the funding would see 40,000 people trained at the new Technical Excellence Colleges by 2029.

Lorraine Moody, from the college, said it was "wonderful news" and hoped it would allow "many, many more people to enter the world of construction".

West Suffolk College already offers courses in the construction industry, however Ms Moody said there were skills not being provided in the East, such as steel fixing and concrete spraying.

She said there would be a meeting between the new colleges and the government to decide on funding.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for, and today's announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent."

The government said that it hoped the training would see more people stay in the careers they train for, with fewer than half of further education students going on to work in the industry.

The Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, Peter Prinsley, said it was "fantastic news" for the town, adding that it would help train the "construction workers of the future" to work on projects like the rebuild of the West Suffolk Hospital.