More than 100 workers set to help West Midlands businesses go green thanks to skills funding

A scheme designed to help the West Midlands go green will upskill more than 100 workers to help deliver energy-saving upgrades to homes and businesses.

Coventry College has secured funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority for 100 learners to take part in Green Skills Insulation Bootcamps over the next year after a successful first cohort.

The two-week bootcamps, which were initially delivered to 12 learners earlier this year, are set to run regularly through to March 2024 to deliver a range of retrofit insulation skills and knowledge and upskill the regional workforce in support of the government’s net zero agenda.

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During the bootcamps, learners receive training on a range of insulation measures including cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, and external wall insulation. Participants are also given energy efficiency advice and an awareness of asbestos in buildings as well as working from heights training.

Learners who complete the programme are guaranteed an interview with an employer who is recruiting for a role which requires green skills knowledge, with Dyson Energy Services one of the programme’s first employer partners.

The course covers fundamental insulation training required by employers to help individuals change careers or progress through the sector.

The initiative is part of a wider push from Coventry College to help local employers to meet their training and development needs. The college was awarded funding from the Department of Education to deliver several Green Skills Insulation Bootcamps in line with the government’s ‘Skills for Jobs’ White Paper.

Emma Ingram, Head Employer Engagement and Careers Lead at Coventry College, said: “Coventry College is fully committed to helping the insulation industry raise awareness of the regional and national skills gaps within the retrofit and construction sector, and working in partnerships with employers to ensure the industry can meet the UK’s government commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“The college is delighted to be building on the success of the first insulation Skills Bootcamp, which has helped to create two permanent new members of the Dyson Energy Services team.

“Going forward, the college is looking to develop its newly refurbished workshops into a Retrofit Centre of Excellence for the West Midlands area, and further develop a suite of Retrofit training courses for 2023 and beyond.”

Coventry College reached out to its referral network across the West Midlands, including the National Careers Service, Job Centre Plus and Coventry Job Shop to recruit adult learners, some of which were unemployed, into the programme.

After the first bootcamp, Dyson Energy Services interviewed each learner, with two learners since commencing employment as trainee insulation technicians.

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Ian Morrall, Managing Director at Dyson Energy Services, travelled to Coventry College to meet the first cohort.

He said: “We are delighted to be working partnership with Coventry College, supporting them with their Green Skills Insulation programme.

“It was great to meet the team and educate learners about the energy efficiency industry and the opportunities within it. We are confident that all the learners will benefit significantly from the retrofit bootcamp.”