Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the £51 million campus will consolidate the College’s provision in Ballymena, offering world-class facilities for approximately 1,800 learners annually. With years of experience working on major projects at home and abroad, Colin is now employed by Heron Bros. as Project Manager for the new campus overseeing the construction of the building.
Richard secured employment with an architectural firm while completing his HNC in Belfast. He is now an Associate and Architectural Technologist at Isherwood & Ellis Architects, one of the sub-contractors working on the new campus.
Commenting on the project, Colin said, “Being involved in a large scale project, particularly one that will have such a lasting impact on education and skills in Ballymena and the surrounding areas, is incredibly rewarding. As a former student, there’s a real sense of achievement, not only collaborating with my old classmate but also in mentoring the next generation of students to deliver this project. It’s been great to see apprentices from engineering, plumbing and electrical installation, to name a few, gaining hands-on experience here onsite.
One of my highlights has been sharing progress onsite with local schools and the College’s students. With the project nearing completion, there have been so many remarkable moments, and now there’s a real sense of excitement as we prepare to handover a world-class learning environment to the client.”
Richard shared similar enthusiasm, saying, “It has been very rewarding to work closely with Colin on such a landmark project and returning to the place where my passion in construction was first ignited. It has been great to draw upon my practical experience gained throughout my career, from when I completed my original construction qualification here at Ballymena, to provide professional architectural guidance for the project.”
The new campus promises to provide innovative spaces for vocational, technical, and professional programmes, designed to support the development of skills and training for a modern workforce.
The Innovation Zone will be a flexible events space which can host a range of activities including cross curriculum project-based learning, conferences and performances. The open plan learning staircase will greet visitors as they enter the building providing a flexible, fun and inviting area for break-out activities and group work.
There will be a training restaurant and hair and beauty salons, open to the public, at set times, providing our students with the opportunity to train in a real-life environment. In addition, there is a stand-alone sports zone which houses state-of-art sports science equipment, gym and sports hall.
At the heart of this cutting-edge campus is the Advanced Technologies Department, a dynamic hub for innovation and excellence. The new facilities will allow for exciting further and future curriculum development in areas such as renewables, in close connection with local stakeholders. Spanning approximately 5,000 m² across the ground and first floors, specialist training will be offered in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, and Electronic Engineering, alongside Motor Vehicle and Construction Engineering. The department will also support vital trades such as Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Carpentry, Joinery, and Bricklaying. With purpose-built workshops, suites, and modern classrooms, students will benefit from hands-on learning in a real-world environment, ensuring they are industry-ready from day one.
At its highest point, the 16,800m² building rises five storeys allowing staff, students and stakeholders to enjoy panoramic views to the east over the ECOS landscape with Slemish in the distance. To the west lies the St. Patrick’s regeneration site, where an extensive programme of works, led by the Department for Communities in association with local partners. Projects at the wider regeneration site include residential homes, a new civic space, a leisure and wellbeing centre, an Innovation & Cleantech hub, new road infrastructure and pathways, and a new PSNI building.