Colleges weld their links ...

KATIE BOWLER

STAFF from Burton College have visited three Swedish colleges as part of an educational welding scheme.

Lecturers Vince Sharkey and Richard Bosworth spent four days in Sweden visiting three colleges, as part of a combined project aimed to develop internationally certificated education in the welding industry.

The colleges they visited were Fredrik Further Education College, in Haninge, Stockholm; Brinellgymnasie, in Nassjo, and Sundsvall Upper Secondary School, in Sundsvall.

The trip was organised by Mr Sharkey as part of an exchange, which followed a prior trip to Burton by Fredrik Further Education College's fabrication and welding students and their lecturer in June.

Mr Sharkey said: "The college has links with several partner European colleges and has previously undertaken exchanges with apprentices which involved industrial placements.

"This visit is part of a relationship, which has been established between Burton College and the Sweden Fredrik Further Education College since 2004, and was arranged as part of the college's support for a project, backed by the Swedish Welding Commission, to deliver an International Welders' Award."