NORDEC works complete following Local Growth Deal investment

Work has been completed on the new Northern Dental Education Centre (NORDEC) located in the heart of Bradford.

NORDEC is a £500,000 state-of-the-art education and training facility designed to enhance and further the skills and knowledge of dental healthcare staff.

The high-spec facility is a joint enterprise between Bradford College and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and is housed in the college’s £10million Advanced Technology Centre, on Randall Well Street, in the city centre.

Half-funded by the college, the project received £250,000 investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

NORDEC offers training and education for the whole dental team. The centre includes a classroom set up like a dental surgery and one filled with phantom heads - realistic open-mouthed manikins that give learners the opportunity to practise in close to real-life conditions. It also boasts a decontamination suite and space for lectures, conferences and workshops.

Apprentice dental nurses will be among the first to benefit from the facility, which will be formally opened by Judith Cummins MP next month at a ceremony to be attended by key figures from the dental industry, education, politics and health.

As well as apprenticeships, the centre will deliver qualifications for those seeking employment in the dental industry.

It will also offer a host of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses for dental professionals on topics such as flouride application, oral cancer awareness and dental impression taking.

Andy Welsh, Chief Executive Officer of the Bradford College Group, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the LEP in establishing a dental training base in Bradford that will deliver high-quality training to the dental profession. NORDEC is dedicated to the task of training healthcare professionals, driving clinical standards and improving clinical leadership through opportunities for continuous personal and professional development.”

Gail Holmes, Vocational Sciences Manager at Bradford College, added:

"Bradford College has an excellent track record of running apprenticeships in dental nursing and we are excited to be expanding and growing our involvement and expertise in the industry.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Skills lead for Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Leader of Bradford Council, said:

“I am delighted to see work now complete on NORDEC. The new centre will not only provide a fantastic skills boost for the dental industry nationwide but also demonstrates growth within the Leeds City Region that benefits local people. Leeds City Region has a well-established reputation nationally as a centre for healthcare innovation and I look forward to us increasing our reputation in the dental training sector in the years to come.”

Roger Marsh OBE, Chair of the LEP and Combined Authority Board Member, said:

“Investment in training is at the heart of the LEP’s commitment to boosting skills across the whole of the Leeds City Region. By investing £79m in college facilities like NORDEC, we are focusing on creating continued economic growth that boosts jobs, skills and wages in the long term. This key project will create good quality employment opportunities in a highly skilled and fast-growing industry as well as helping to retain and attract talent to unlock the social and economic potential of the Leeds City Region.”

Bradford College has been providing education and training for 185 years, having been established in 1832.