More than 8,000 bricks have been donated to Oaklands College to help construction students.

Building products manufacturer Forterra has embarked on the third year of its Construction Hub scheme, aiding construction colleges across the country with much needed supplies and resources, including Oaklands College in Hertfordshire.

The college, which has campuses in Welwyn Garden City and Smallford, St Albans, has recently received a donation of 8,190 bricks to supplement its construction course and aid the development of its latest intake of students.

They will also benefit from 540 concrete blocks donated to help improve the scope of their working designs.

Oaklands College is one of eight colleges with Construction Hub status, all of which now have additional materials to support the practical learning of its students.

The seven other colleges are Buckinghamshire college group, Burnley College, Hertford Regional College, Stamford College, Preston College, Truro & Penwith College, and Warrington & Vale Royal College.

Andy Rosser, curriculum manager for brickwork at Oaklands College, said: “Oaklands College construction department supports new recruits and apprentices to enter the construction industry in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and North London.

"With 95 brickwork students this year the need for industry support has never been greater. There’s no better incentive for our students to improve their workmanship than the reward of using new Forterra bricks.

"Oaklands College are sincerely grateful for the support and generosity shown by one of the country’s leading brick manufacturers.”

As a result of the recent donation, budding builders at Oaklands College have access to high quality trade standard bricks with which to complete their assessments and projects.

Utilising new and specialist bricks enables students to expand their skill base and embark on more ambitious projects, including building garden walls, complex masonry structures and cavity wall construction, where appearance is essential.

Adam Smith, commercial director at Forterra, said: “We are pleased to support the eight colleges that are part of Forterra’s Construction Hubs.

"It’s fantastic to see that the students can practice their skills on more advanced projects, and we hope the addition of these supplies will enable them to produce work of the highest quality.

"Forterra takes pride in supporting the continued development of high standards and technical skills in the bricklaying industry, helping to address the skills gap.”