A government funding boost will help Weymouth College to deliver high-quality training and kickstart careers in green construction.

Weymouth is among colleges, universities and other training providers across the UK selected to receive a share of £200 million in the latest round of the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) and Skills Injection Fund.

The funding will help transform skills training so that local businesses can continue to tap into the workforce they need to thrive, while helping more people to secure good jobs closer to home.

The innovative projects will support people to gain the skills needed to launch careers in the green sector and support the local economy to grow.

Weymouth College will be using its share of the funding to deliver green skills courses in electric vehicle charging systems and the installation of solar panels and heat pumps.

Aimed at upskilling those with existing electrical or plumbing qualifications, the courses will help to create a trained workforce for a greener, more sustainable future for Dorset, tying in with the College’s own sustainability policy.

The announcement of the LSIF funding came as Weymouth College celebrated its annual Environment Week, offering students and staff a packed programme of expert talks covering all aspects of the environment and climate change.

It also followed hot on the heels of Weymouth College’s commendation in the Association of College’s prestigious Beacon Awards, in the category of Education for Sustainable Development.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “This investment is about boosting local industries, building people’s skills and ultimately futureproofing our economy and the career prospects of the next generation.

“Our local skills projects will bring together regional organisations, businesses and education providers to respond to the specific needs of employers, building an increasingly skilled workforce and growing local economies.

“Whether it is green skills, construction, engineering or digital, thousands more people can now gain the skills they need to secure good jobs closer to home. These are long-term plans that will ensure every area can have a brighter future.”

The LSIF funding has been awarded specifically to priority sectors identified by local employers in their Local Skills Improvement Plans, as part of a government drive to get more people into good jobs closer to home, plug skills gaps and grow the economy.

The Green Skills courses at Weymouth College include:

• Domestic, commercial and industrial electric vehicle charging installation.
• Installation and maintenance of small scale solar photovoltaic systems.
• Installation and maintenance of heat pump systems (non-refrigeration circuits)

All three courses are full-funded.

More information and details on how to apply can be found at https://www.weymouth.ac.uk/subjects/green-skills/

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