Skills

skills South Thames Colleges Group leads

the way on Green Skills training

South Thames Colleges Group (STCG) has recently won £1.9 million of funding from the Department for Education to develop Green Skills training across South-West London. Working in partnership with Croydon College, Richmond-upon-Thames College, Orbital South Colleges Group and London Learning Consortium, the fund will enable the development of courses in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, Green Construction, Green Energy and Waste Management. This will include developing first-class training facilities and equipment to meet the needs of employers in our region as well as working with them to develop a portfolio of green skills courses.

There are currently very few green skills courses on offer and a lack of understanding about what green jobs are and what they entail. However, the UK government’s Net Zero Strategy anticipates that there will be 190,000 “green jobs” by the middle of the 2020s and up to 440,000 jobs in 2030. Green jobs will not be niche by 2030 and the anticipation is that sustainability and climate change will touch every career. It is therefore really important that colleges such as South Thames Colleges Grou p, ensure that our curriculum reflects this. The funding will provide the opportunity for people of all ages to train, retrain or upskill to then go into green careers.

The aim of the funding is to support local innovation and economic growth, and by working in partnership with the Further Education providers and employers across South-West London, to drive a co-ordinated approach across our region to meet local skills priorities. The fund will enable more sustainable provision across our region and support the adoption of new technologies and working practices.

Stella Raphael-Reeves, Vice Principal STCG commented, “The climate crisis is no longer a problem for the future, and we urgently need the skills to tackle it. We realise the importance of the environment and sustainability in the modern world and introducing a number of green skills training courses will help to provide the right people with the right skills for the future of the economy.”

Courses that will be developed include:

• Eco Design • Installation of Air Source and Ground Source

Heat Pumps • Retrofit • Solar Thermal

• Installation of Photo Voltaic Panels

• Roofing Insulation/Installation • New Build Regulations

• Waste Management

The funding complements the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) which aim to meet local skills needs and ensure that young people, and adults who may be looking to change job roles and/or sectors can be equipped and supported to continue their learning and employment. Central to this is putting employers at the heart of post-16 skills. In order to develop relevant and innovative curriculum, it is vital that education providers work with local, regional and national employers to support skills needs and gaps and to work in partnership to deliver training and qualifications. For further information on the LSIPs go to https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/local-skills-improvement-plans

We are looking to develop Employer Advisory Boards which will be an opportunity for employers with an interest in green skills and sustainability across all sectors to tell us about the skills they need and where there are current and anticipated skills gaps. If you or your organisation is interested in getting involved in this exciting project please contact Kathryn Elliott, Head of Business Partnerships at

Kathryn.elliott@stcg.ac.uk