Hi All, I can see it has been a while since anyone has replied to this topic, but I was very interested by some of the comments and recollections of the college and thought I could add something to the discussion.
I worked at the college from 1989 until the names was dissolved as part of the incorporation process in 1993. Apart from the name change most things stayed the same for a while, until the appointment of a new principal and the bite of governments cuts, when a lot of staff were made redundant in the mid 90s. It was around this time that the construction staff were transferred to a central campus for all trades across Birmingham in Tyseley
As some have commented, the college in the 80s and early 90s was predominantly a construction college with a long reputation in many trades, particularly bricklaying. It also had the usual array of FE provision, including a thriving Business Studies department, which is where I was located.
During the mid 90s with the industrial unrest of contract disputes and redundancies, I became the chair of the teacher’s union, and along with other staff helped in the change of staff at a senior level, which allowed a subsequent merger with Sutton College, which eventually merged with Matthew Boulton to form Birmingham Metropolitan college.
Several times during my time at the college, there was a threat to close the Aldridge Road site and either demolish it or relocate it, but it survived all the changes and still remains a key provider of FE provision in the area.
I have so many stories from those early years, perhaps for another time!