Courses are taught by the college’s Lichfield School of Art and trainees have opportunities to exchange skills with Linford’s trainees in the company’s own workshops and on a number of other local project sites.

Now the college is extending the range of opportunities on offer by launching a brand new two year Level 3 diploma course on the design and craft skills needed to manufacture furniture.

Alison Churchill, head of the Lichfield School of Art, said, “The Centre is proving to be a real success story and we are constantly striving to extend the range of courses and skills available to students from all backgrounds. The new course, a National Diploma in Design Crafts is key to this progression, having been created in view of the skills shortages affecting local businesses. We are also following a number of other very exciting avenues, including the provision of Level 2 City & Guilds qualifications for local 14 to 16 year olds.

“The training centre as a whole is a response to the growing demand for highly trained craftsmen and women who understand the wide range of skills and methods used in conservation projects. Combining practical experience with technical and academic learning has always been the best way of developing tomorrow’s master craftsmen and craftswomen. Students enjoy the very best of both worlds with the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled craftsmen and receive quality college training that is second to none.