Telford & Wrekin Council has supported a new partnership between Telford College and a local recovery firm to help provide hands‑on learning opportunities for students studying motor vehicle maintenance and repair.
Telford College contacted the council to explore opportunities to access vehicles that could be used by students as part of their ongoing learning and development.
The council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement team subsequently connected the college with Burke Bros, the contractor that provides Telford & Wrekin Council’s abandoned vehicle recovery service.
As part of its social value commitment, Burke Bros has supplied three vehicles to Telford College, allowing students to safely strip down, rebuild and study real vehicles as part of their training.
The partnership will continue beyond the initial delivery, ensuring that students have ongoing access to a range of vehicles to support practical learning as their studies progress.
Telford College automotive lecturer Robert Hands said: “Access to real vehicles makes a massive difference to our students’ learning. This partnership gives them more vehicles to work on to broaden their experience to hopefully help find employment.”
The council said: “We are always keen to make the best possible use of available resources, and this project is a strong example of how we protect, care and invest for the benefit of our communities.
“By working co-operatively with local partners and businesses, we can support education, skills development and real opportunities for young people here in Telford and Wrekin.
“The initiative highlights how collaboration between the council, education providers and local businesses can deliver meaningful social value while supporting long‑term skills development across the borough.”
Sam Burke, director at Burke Bros, said: “Supporting local communities is a core part of how we work. These vehicles have reached the end of their operational life on the road, but they still have huge value as learning tools.
“We’re proud to be able to give students hands‑on experience and help develop the next generation of vehicle technicians.”
