MP praises housebuilder and college as they join forcesahead of National Apprenticeship Week

12 February 2026

MP Tony Vaughan has praised the collaboration between EKC Folkestone College and housebuilder, Persimmon Homes.

MP Tony Vaughan visited a Kent college to see how they are working with housebuilder Persimmon Homes to inspire the next generation of construction workers as part of their National Apprenticeship Week celebrations.

Persimmon Homes South East donated 10,000 bricks to EKC Folkestone College to give students the opportunity to practice their skills using the highest-quality materials, improving their presentation and giving them greater pride in their work.

Representatives from Persimmon visited the college last week, along with the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, to see the students’ work and discuss future career opportunities, including apprenticeships within the housebuilding industry.

Tony Vaughan MP said: “It is great to be here and see the amazing work that the students are producing using these bricks from Persimmon Homes, and it is wonderful to see this connection between industry and education, working together to train these young people so they can build the homes this community needs.”

Ashley Betteridge (left), Head of Built Environment at EKC Folkestone College, and Gav Nicholson from Persimmon Homes. Picture: East Kent Colleges Group

Gav Nicholson, Contracts Manager for Persimmon Homes South East, said: “This visit has allowed us to see the high teaching at Folkestone and we are keen to forge a positive link with the college.

“We have met some talented bricklayers here and would be delighted to see some of them working on our sites locally in the years to come. For some, that could be through an apprenticeship with an experienced bricklayer.

Apprenticeships are a great option because they allow aspiring construction workers to learn the skills they need through a combination of college-based learning and site experience.”

Clare Brown, Principal at EKC Folkestone College, said: “This donation has had a huge impact on the students at the college. Each brick normally costs the college £2, so having a delivery of this scale allows us to divert that money and enhance the curriculum in other ways.

“Thank you to Persimmon Homes for this donation; we are extremely grateful.”