A multi million pound construction training centre in Leyton has officially opened.

The £7.24 million centre in Cathall Road, Leyton, is a key Olympic Legacy project which is training the next generation of highly skilled construction workers.

The project was the brainchild of Waltham Forest Council, which owns the building, acquired the funding and project managed the scheme in partnership with other organisations such as the National Skills Academy for Construction and CITB-ConstructionSkills.

The centre has been granted National Skills Academy for Construction status by CITB-ConstructionSkills - the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for the construction industry, and is being funded by the Skills Funding Agency, Waltham Forest London Borough Council, CITB-ConstructionSkills and the London Development Agency (LDA).

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The centre will be initially managed, and training will be delivered through the National Construction College, which is Europe's largest construction training provider.

The centre has been providing training courses in dry lining and scaffolding since November 22 and is offering more than 100 apprenticeships a year in vital construction skills.

Trainees will be able to take courses in roofing; flooring; steel fixing; working at heights, scaffolding and general construction.

Waltham Forest Council leader, Cllr Chris Robbins, said: "This is a fantastic, world-class training facility for local residents and people from across east London which will play a vital role in helping us benefit from the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Facilities such as improve the education and training of our residents and improve their chance of finding employment now and in the future."

(CD/GK)