Barnfield College to run 24/7 training at London Luton Airport

A £120,000 training facility at London Luton Airport has been approved by the English skills promotion body the Learning and Skills Council.

The centre, to be run by Barnfield College Luton, will provide training courses for airport and airline employees working on the airport site. It will remain open 24/7 to accommodate airport shift-working patterns.

Helen Mayhew, Barnfield’s campus director in charge of the centre, said: “The size of the workforce at the airport runs into many hundreds. Airport employers are keen to upskill their workforce and to give them the opportunity to undertake high quality training to improve their competitive edge and service levels.

“We are providing demand-led training; both bespoke and nationally recognised qualifications. We are presently training airport authority personnel, Servisair baggage handlers and Monarch Airlines staff and we are talking to other employers about their training needs.”

Barnfield has also been awarded single accreditation for its Centre of Vocational Excellence for airport operations by the Department for Education and Skills.