The centre will be capable of training 2,000 people a year and will be known as the Willmott Dixon 4Life Academy.

The building will also act as a National Centre of Excellence for the company across the UK.

Mick Williamson, managing director for Willmott Dixon Partnerships, said “Skills play a crucial part in the prosperity of all cities and The Willmott Dixon 4Life Academy is a statement of our ambition to play a strategic role in the long-term growth of Birmingham.

“Training and development runs to the very core of Willmott Dixon; it matters in terms of our own people, and to individuals in communities that we work in.

“Through the 4Life Academy, our own employees as well as colleges, community groups and local residents will get access to a dedicated facility providing training that will help their long-term work opportunities.

“With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training there is no better time to be creating these opportunities.

“The construction sector has been hit particularly hard by the current market conditions, and alongside creating a valuable community asset that will help develop local skills, the 4Life Academy will ensure our people continue to have the skills and expertise needed to deliver the quality service required in Birmingham and West Midlands.”