Cornwall College is exploring the potential of offering stonemasonry courses and delivery of apprenticeships and has approached Claire Wallbridge at Natural Stone Industry Training Group (NSITG) to invite feedback from members of the stone industry.

Currently, only four colleges in England offer stonemasonry courses – City of Bath College, Moulton College, Building Crafts College in London and York College – so the addition of a further college would help encourage more people to enter the stone industry.

Claire said: "The college have approached us for help gauging the industry’s appetite to have stone courses and apprenticeships delivered from their Cornish campuses. They would like to know if contractors would send candidates to the college for the Trailblazer Stone Apprenticeship and what type of apprenticeship they would want from the current offer of: heritage, exterior fixer, interior fixer, façade preservation, memorial mason and banker."

Those interested in offering their thoughts are also encouraged to consider if it would be beneficial for the college to deliver short courses to help with upskilling current workforce. Members of NSITG are currently working with CITB to develop content for short duration stone-related courses and these would be the basis of delivery and meet the eligibility critera for a CITB grant.

"We rarely get a college interested in supporting new delivery," added Claire "and this would be an opportunity for South West companies not having to travel all the way from Cornwall to the existing four colleges."

Please email Claire directly on claire@nsitg.org.uk to provide your feedback.