New centre gives boost to green energy skills training in Hampshire

The new Green Energy Centre will provide construction training opportunities in north Hampshire.

As part of Colleges Week, Maria Miller MP visited the newly completed Centre, which will allow students and local businesses to become equipped with the knowledge and skills in renewable technologies such as air source heat pumps, solar thermal, photovoltaic systems and rainwater reuse.

The facility was supported with a £150,000 investment boost from the Department for Education as part of the Strategic Development Fund (SDF) and includes equipment to demonstrate and teach how to install and maintain ‘green’ technologies.  

Initially, students on the College’s Level 2 Construction Multi-skills qualification and construction short courses will have access to the Centre, before it being opened up to other students across BCoT to increase awareness of climate change and how the built environment affects us all. Local employers will also be able to book space in the Centre to upskill their teams. 

BCoT’s Head of Construction Steve Gilder said: “The ambition to reach net zero and to be more sustainable means the construction industry is an ever-changing landscape, with new technologies being regularly introduced. It is therefore imperative that we equip our students with the skills, information and confidence to meet the demands of the industry.

“The new Green Energy Centre will provide an informative introduction to all things ‘green’, retrofit and net zero within the construction sector and allow our students to work within a state-of-the-art environment in which they can learn and develop their skills. We also look forward to welcoming local employers to the Centre, who want to train their staff in the skills necessary to meet net zero targets.”

The new facility adds to the college’s range of green technology provision. The College is also home to the Electric Vehicle (EV) training centre, which was the first in the South East. The Centre equips future mechanics and auto technicians with the valuable skills they need for the hybrid and electric vehicle market. Like the Green Energy Centre, the EV training centre provides training to already trained mechanics working in the automotive industry to update their skills. 

Anthony Bravo, Principal and Chief Executive of BCoT, said: “BCoT has a long-standing reputation for offering excellent educational opportunities and we are proud to now be able to offer students and regional employers the opportunity to study in such a unique facility. We are grateful to receive government support for the Centre, which is a testament to the education provision available at BCoT. This is a significant step forward for the education and training provision in Basingstoke which will help the construction industry meet net zero targets.”

Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke said: “It was great to see first-hand, during Colleges Week, how this further Government investment in the education of students at BCoT will enable the up-skilling of the local workforce in new green technologies. This will enable students to gain new skills and ensure local businesses are able to offer more green solutions to their customers.

Maria added: “This new Green Energy Centre, along with the College’s existing Electric Vehicle Training Centre is a significant milestone for BCoT and will increase the college's training opportunities and provision for the construction industry.”