A GROUP of Wyre Forest teenagers are learning the art of construction literally from scratch by building their own workbenches.

Twenty-four 16 to 18-year-olds are taking part in a pilot training project to teach them building skills at Baxter College, Kidderminster.

During the 34-week course they will apply their new-found skills to a range of more ambitious projects - including refurbishing a house near the school site and the construction of a "training" bungalow.

The students are offered bricklaying, joinery, painting and decorating tuition as well as "tasters" in electrical and plumbing skills.

It is aimed at young people who might otherwise drop out from learning and training and is aimed at securing apprenticeships for them within the construction industry.

The real working environment is replicated, with students' working industry hours and they have to be on site both before school starts and after it ends.

The scheme has been developed in response to the need from the construction industry to recruit new skilled trades people into what has become an ageing sector, with the majority of the workforce over 45 years old.

It has been developed by ContinU to Construct, a joint venture between district schools and Kidderminster College, with funding from them, plus the Learning and Skills Council Herefordshire and Worcestershire and the Education Business Link organisation.

The course will give the students Construction Industry Training Board qualifications.

Tim Mason, director of curriculum, strategy and business development at Kidderminster College, who has been the driving force behind the project, said: "We are delighted with the excellent progress and enthusiasm being shown by all the learners.

"They have made significant progress in an amazingly short period of time."

It is hoped to double the number of places available next year and eventually to expand the training provision to include adults.