Training
Published: October 12, 2023 | Updated: 15th November 2023
Basingstoke College of Technology has launched a new Green Energy Centre, providing a boost to construction training opportunities in North Hampshire.
The new centre, which was recently visited by Maria Miller MP as part of Colleges Week, will help to equip students and local businesses with knowledge and skills in renewable technologies such as air source hear pumps, solar thermal, photovoltaic and rainwater reuse.
It was supported by a £150,000 investment from the Department of Education, under the Strategic Development Fund, and features equipment to demonstrate and teach how to install and maintain green technology.
Students on the college’s Level 2 Construction Multi-skills qualification and construction short courses will be the first to access the centre, with it being opened up to other students across BCoT in the longer term, all with the aim of increasing awareness of climate change and how the built environment affects us all.
The centre will also be made available to local employers, who will be able to book space for use upskilling their team.
Steve Gilder, BCoT’s Head of Construction, 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 complements the college’s range of green technology provision that includes the EV training centre, which seeks to equip future mechanics and auto technicians with the skills needed for the growing hybrid and electric 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.”
