Developing modern construction professionals with a focus on timber – a UK case study

The Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) was established in 2021 at the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford, UK, to be a catalyst for expanding the use of sustainable timber in modern construction and changing the way built environment professionals are educated. The educational approach of NMITE is to apply a student-centric learning methodology with a curriculum fuelled by real-world challenges and taught by way of a partnership approach working with external stakeholders, industry practitioners, and academic collaborators. The focus of CATT is to increase the use of timber as an environmentally sound biogenic and ecological construction material based on a holistic value proposition (productivity, environmental and social impact, plus cost and building performance over time). In developing educational offerings that respond to these aims, CATT widens access to the construction industry while fostering development of the twenty-first century skills necessary for professionals to design and deliver a sustainable built environment. This case study describes lessons learned from the development of this award-winning educational programme and its innovative delivery model.