Arena Skills Centre, Bognor Regis
| Project name: | Arena Skills Centre, Bognor Regis |
| Client: | West Sussex County Council |
| Business(s): | Construction |
| Sector(s): | Education |
| Location: | West Sussex |
| Type of contract: | Two Stage Design and Build |
| Contract value: | £2.1 million |
| Duration: | May 2005 - October 2005 |
| Contact email: | construction@osborne.co.uk |
This new vocational skills centre provides opportunities for 14-16 year-olds to gain vocational qualifications alongside their 
GCSEs and for older students and adults to learn vocational skills. The client’s brief was for a high visibility, modern, dynamic building on a site adjacent to an existing school and a leisure centre that is used by 5,000 people every week.
West Sussex County Council’s novel procurement mechanism resulted in Osborne pledging to use local suppliers and labour wherever practical. During the project local subcontractor NJS Bricklaying employed two students from Bognor Regis Community College who were studying for their NVQ in bricklaying.
The new centre consists of a two-storey building housing a workshop and eight classrooms. It was completed four weeks ahead of programme.