Liverpool’s newest Construction Academy welcomes its first students

The City of Liverpool College has officially opened its brand-new Construction Academy at Liverpool Waters, welcoming the first cohort of future builders to the historic Regent Road site.

Based on the edge of the River Mersey, the new academy will train 250 students and sits alongside the College’s Vauxhall Road campus, expanding its offer to meet growing demand. Learners will split their time between practical workshops and four purpose-built modular classrooms, gaining both hands-on experience and essential construction theory.

The academy is based in the Central Docks neighbourhood at Liverpool Waters, the largest of the site’s five districts and the biggest brownfield development in the city. Through a partnership between Peel Waters and Homes England, work is about to begin on a 2.1-hectare park and infrastructure that will support up to 2,350 new homes.

Students based at the academy are expected to benefit directly from the development, with apprenticeships and job opportunities built into the project. The College has already worked with Peel Waters for more than five years, with former students now employed across Liverpool Waters.

Businesses in the area, including Ten Streets Social, are also working with the College to offer space for students and future collaborations as the neighbourhood continues to grow.

Development of The Construction Academy took place over summer 2025 and was planned carefully to respect the site’s heritage. The bricks used on the new building were chosen to match the historic wall that separates the dockland from Regent Road, and the original tram tracks from the area’s industrial days have been preserved.

Alex Black, Director of Estates at The City of Liverpool College, said:
“The Construction Academy at Liverpool Waters is a huge step forward for our students. It allows them to learn the fundamentals of their chosen career on what is essentially a working site.”

Neil Borg-Olivier, Vice Principal for Curriculum Development and Innovation, added:
“Our Vauxhall Road site had reached capacity and we needed space that met the needs of students coming into the construction sector. This new site means we can take on more learners who will help tackle the region’s skills shortage.

It also gives us the flexibility to lease parts of Vauxhall Road to support even more local people into training and careers.”

Liza Marco, Senior Asset Manager at Liverpool Waters, said:
“We’re really pleased to be partnering with The City of Liverpool College to launch the academy. Supporting local communities and creating new employment opportunities are at the heart of Peel Waters’ vision.

With the scale and ambition of Liverpool Waters, we hope many of the students who train here will go on to play a hands-on role in transforming the site – building homes and community spaces for the future.

Every student who studies and works here will help shape the next chapter of our iconic waterfront.”