EKC Training Eastchurch: A Unique Provision

21 May 2025

We visited EKC Training Eastchurch to discover how the Centre is helping to equip prisoners with valuable skills for the future.

At EKC Training, we pride ourselves on helping the community thrive, offering various training courses to help people in our community find work, progress in their careers, and learn new skills.

EKC Training Eastchurch is a unique provision. Offering the prison community, at HM Prison Standford Hill, a chance to learn a range of professional qualifications and employability skills. Preparing them to achieve and have the skill set to find appropriate work in the future.

Photo caption: Head of Employability at the Centre, Danny Walder.

Danny described the range of courses available at the centre, explaining that learners can choose from a variety of 12-week programmes designed to help them build new skills and improve their employability.

Thanks to a recent change in government funding, learners are now able to enrol in multiple courses consecutively. This allows students to gain a broader set of skills, which is especially valuable for their CVs, and can significantly enhance their prospects when searching for employment in the future.

The Facilities

The Centre has been purpose-built to accommodate both workshops and classrooms, each equipped with industry-standard tools to prepare learners for careers in the trades.

These workshops were constructed through a collaborative effort between tutors and learners, providing students with valuable practical experience and an opportunity to apply their newly acquired skills.

Located upstairs are the Carpentry, Electrical, and Plumbing workshops. A repurposed large shed houses the Bricklaying workshop, which also includes an outdoor area for getting learners prepared to laying bricks in all weather conditions.

Additionally, the Centre now features a brand-new rail track installation designed for the Level 2 Rail Engineering Track Maintenance course. This project has been a collaborative achievement, Carpentry students constructed the surrounding fencing, while Bricklaying learners laid the track ballast and assisted in positioning the rail track.

Learner spotlight

Whilst visiting the Centre, we spoke to a few Bricklaying students and asked them about their experience coming to EKC Training Eastchurch. This is what they told us:

“This centre is much nicer than other centres I have been to in the past when in other prisons. It is really relaxed here, and we are taught new skills whilst being treated like adults.

“We walk down from the prison to the training centre. The walk is so peaceful and puts you in a good mood ready to work. I started on the Bricklaying course a few weeks ago, I am proud of what I have made here.”

Another learner added: “I have never laid a brick before. In fact, you just saw me lay my first one! It is helpful to learn new skills which will help in the long run. It is much better being down here and makes the time go a lot quicker.”

We’re proud to give our learners a second chance, helping them build practical work-related skills. These are tools not just for employment, but for rebuilding a future beyond prison.

Level 2 Plumbing