Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, has started work on the southern hub of the National College Development for Nuclear. The National College for Nuclear is dedicated to supporting the specialist training needs of the nuclear industry, with the southern hub supporting the training requirements of the nuclear power station at nearby Hinkley Point.

The National College for Nuclear (NCfN) Southern Hub is a £6.2m scheme being built at Bridgwater & Taunton College’s Cannington Centre. The northern hub of the NCfN, is being built in Workington, Cumbria.  The NCfN will develop the UK’s nuclear curriculum, designing new qualifications and training courses that are attractive to learners and meet specific industry needs, it is envisaged that it will train more than 7,000 people by 2020.

The NCfN, Southern Hub, is due to welcome its first students in 2017.

The hubs will be funded by £15m from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), with additional finance for the southern hub coming from the Heart of the South West LEP and Bridgwater & Taunton College.

The tower crane is due to arrive on site this week (2 February) ready for the team to start work on the superstructure.

When complete, the southern hub will feature a pair of new buildings connected with an enclosed link bridge, with one building housing a two-storey training centre and the second a two-storey welfare and recreation facility.

Alan Hope, Chief Executive of The Midas Group said: “The need to develop a skilled workforce and supply chain to support the development of Hinkley has been rightly recognised as of huge importance to the long term success of the project itself and the wider regional economy.

“So, we are delighted and very proud to be delivering this flagship scheme which will bring through a new generation of highly skilled people, trained here in Somerset, and working at one of the biggest development projects the UK has embarked on for many years.”