A new £500,000 Green Skills Innovation Centre has opened at the Lackham campus of Wiltshire College & University Centre, helping train the next generation of engineers and construction professionals in renewable technology.
The centre has been created to equip plumbers, electricians and construction companies with the expertise needed to support the UK’s transition to cleaner energy and more sustainable homes.
Developed with funding from the Wiltshire Council through the Shared Prosperity Fund, the facility has also been created in partnership with Chippenham-based renewable energy company Good Energy.
At the heart of the centre is an Eco House, a transformed 100-year-old property that now acts as a showcase for cutting-edge green technology. The building demonstrates how renewable systems can be installed and integrated into homes.
Inside the training centre, purpose-built teaching bays installed by Quantum Training allow students and professionals to learn how to install and maintain modern energy technologies.
These include solar photovoltaic systems, heat pumps, battery storage and smart home energy systems.
Construction students at the college will use the facility as part of their studies, while short courses will also be offered to employers across the construction sector who want to develop the skills of their qualified engineers.
The project has been backed by the UK Government’s Industry Minister, Chris Macdonald, who highlighted the scale of opportunity in the region’s growing green economy.
He said, “Our clean energy mission is set to create more than 15,000 jobs in the South West alone by 2030. This new facility will help to meet this demand, providing people in Wiltshire and the surrounding area with the training and skills needed to take advantage of the thousands of well-paid, good jobs being delivered by the clean energy transition.”
The centre was officially opened by Sarah Gibson alongside the college’s Principal and Chief Executive, Iain Hatt.
Mr Hatt said the initiative is about helping to transform the construction industry and accelerate the adoption of sustainable technologies.
He said, “Opening this centre is driven by our belief that we must work with and influence the construction industry and help bring about a meaningful change in mindset.
“We are heartened that the number of housebuilders using green technology is growing all the time and as that number rises, the demand for a better trained workforce will increase alongside it.”
He added that the need to retrofit older homes will become increasingly important as people look for ways to reduce energy use and cut carbon emissions.
The partnership with Good Energy will also see the company use the centre and Eco House to train its own engineers.
Carl Hogg said the collaboration would help build the workforce needed to support the transition to cleaner energy.
He said, “If we want to cut carbon in millions of homes and businesses, we need a workforce with the confidence and expertise to install and maintain these solutions.”
Mrs Gibson said she was proud to see the facility open in her constituency and highlighted the importance of preparing young people for future careers.
She said, “One of the things that I’m most concerned about as a rural MP is to make sure we fill that skills gap for young people, and that we’re providing them with the skills for the future that allows them strong employment with career progression.”
The Green Skills Innovation Centre will help position the Lackham campus as a key hub for training in sustainable construction and renewable energy technology across Wiltshire and the wider South West.
For more information about the Green Skills Innovation Centre, visit the Wiltshire College & University Centre website at www.wiltshire.ac.uk.
