Northumberland College has established a training partnership with ORCA LGS Solutions.

ORCA is a design, manufacturing, and training company supporting the Government to increase housing supply in the UK.

The college and ORCA have partnered to increase housing supply and reduce the skills shortage in the construction industry.

ORCA’s methods result in over 50 per cent faster construction than traditional methods.

Chief Operations Officer at ORCA Dik Barton said: “The UK housing crisis is compounded by a skills shortage.

“With our method, the average UK house size can be manufactured and assembled in eight hours.

“An unskilled person can be trained to assemble and install within four to eight weeks”

Managing Director of ORCA John Paul Fraser said: “This is an exciting time for ORCA and the college working in partnership to create jobs locally and increase housing supply in the UK.

“We want Northumberland to become ORCA’s centre of excellence for training, creating over 1,200 jobs.”

ORCA is already taking trainees from the college.

Contracts and Employability Manager at Northumberland College Jill Robinson said: “Following initial training, ORCA has accepted 12 talented candidates.

“Trainees are now commencing the ORCA training programme, enabling local unemployed people to achieve a new skill set to build houses”.

ORCA is aiming to deliver 10,000 units of affordable housing within five years.