December 2010

Successful Environmental Technology Bid Skills Academy

COLLEGES GET GREEN LIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SKILLS ACADEMY

Dudley and Stourbridge Colleges have been selected to lead on environmental technology training for the West Midlands. The successful bid for approval as a founder hub member of the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies – accredited by SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Building Services – means that Further Education in the region will be leading the way in environmental technology training helping the UK meet its low carbon targets.

Lynette Cutting, Principal at Stourbridge College, said: “This is great news for the Black Country. Being nationally recognised for cutting edge training in new technologies shows how Further Education is contributing to environmental challenges and it also shows how responsive we are to emerging employer skills needs. Up-skilling in green technologies is vital to future jobs and employment in the sector and this approval will ensure that learners have the correct training, qualifications and ultimately the right skills.”

Lowell Williams, Principal at Dudley College, said: “Winning selection to join the prestigious National Skills Academy is a tremendous achievement and a fabulous opportunity. Not only does it put our colleges at the centre of the green technology revolution but it means that the Black Country is once again leading technological development in the region.”

Keith Marshall OBE, Chief Executive of SummitSkills, said: “Environmental technologies are becoming more and more popular in order for the Government to meet its commitments to the low carbon agenda. It’s vitally important for the sector that employees are able to access the training they need to install and maintain renewable and environmental technologies.”

As a hub member, Dudley and Stourbridge Colleges will work with a cluster of partners including other FE colleges and private training providers to provide a range of new technologies training for employers including solar heating, photovoltaics, water recycling and ground source heat pumps.

The National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies is a Government backed initiative led by SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Building Services. The sector comprises the electrotechnical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and plumbing industries.

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