The repercussions of this decision, in my opinion, are far wider than they have envisaged.
The degree of expertise that past apprentices have been given by college lecturers in the brickwork department, can be judged by the fact that in the past six years the North West Brickwork Skills competition between college construction departments, with a silver trowel being awarded to the most able and competent brickwork trainee, has been won twice by college students.
I now pose the questions, why is it, with approximately 100 firms concerned with the construction industry within a 10 mile radius of Northwich, only two craft courses and an ordinary technician course are currently being delivered.
I have always believed that colleges are there to serve the community and to provide life-long education.
JOHN OLIVER
Chartered builder and Hartford resident.
Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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