Barnsley College and Masonite Barnsley (Premdor), one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of timber doors, have launched the Masonite Academy providing local young people with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge within engineering and manufacturing and address the skills shortage.

The new Masonite Academy is based at Barnsley College’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Centre on Old Mill Lane. Students will study engineering and manufacturing courses which have been specifically designed by both Barnsley College and Masonite in order to meet the development needs of the business. The aim of the Academy is to attract young people from the local area and develop their knowledge and experience in order to prepare them for a successful career with Masonite UK.

Studying a wide range of courses, students and will be taught by the College’s experienced tutors as well as industry experts from Masonite Barnsley. Students also have the opportunity to engage with regular subject related talks and site visits whilst being regularly assessed to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills to prepare them for employment after they finish their course.

The Masonite Academy will provide a solid foundation for students in engineering and manufacturing, creating an opportunity at the end of their course which could lead to employment with Masonite.

Gavin Day, UK Organisational Development Manager at Masonite, said: “We are really passionate about being a local employer of choice, developing both existing and future employee’s helps us to achieve this. The Masonite Academy will therefore open doors to great opportunities for people in the Borough of Barnsley as well as securing our long term future as the market leader within our industry.”

For more information about the Masonite Academy, contact Barnsley College on 01226 216 123, email or visit the Engineering page on the Barnsley College website.