Shirecliffe College

[SheffNiner]

Anybody go there 1981/1982?

 

I was on the signwriting course way round the back in little corner tucked away next to the trainee brickies.

 

Our course was half full of re-training steelworkers, who were a good laugh when you got to know them.

 

Anybody else attend Shirecliffe around this time?.

 

And can anyone tell me why/when it was demolished? a baffling decision I thought- as the college always seemed over subscribed(I had to take an exam just to get in) and there were 1000's of school-leavers wanting to learn how to become plasterers, sparky's, painters, brickies etc.

[Magneteer]

I went there 1972-75 to do C&G training as a heating engineer. There were lots of other apprentices doing courses ie plumbers, brickies,plasterers,welders, joiners etc and it was a decent college. I reckon it closed due to the fall in demand for courses as so few companies for the last twenty or so years has been prepared to put apprentices through formal training. I suppose society pays for this lack of foresight and that is why you can't get hold of a decent builder or plumber these days, there just aren't enough of em.

[SheffNiner]

Good point Magneteer,

 

I wasn't sent by a company, I was there to learn a trade as an alternative to the dole, and didn't get paid apart from £5 a-week sup.benefit

 

My thinking is- why try and get nearly 50% of school leavers into University to do degrees a lot of them are never going to use. Seems bizzarre to me they shut down places like Shirecliffe/Salmon Pastures and then 100's of expensive new 'Universities' pop up to produce graduates who's 'media studies' degrees aren't going to be much use when country is crying out for trained craftsmen.

[Bikertec]

There 79-85 Plumbing apprenticeship, once a week on a Wednesday if I remember correctly.

[Frankie Rage]

I did Electronics at Shirecliffe Tech in the late '70's. I enjoyed my time there. :-) It was Day Release - I think one long day and evening???