Colchester Institute was delighted to welcome Jonathon Cuthbertson, Essex County Council’s Head of Skills and Employability, to help launch a new 300m² Net Zero and Renewables Centre at the Colchester Campus.
The College’s £500k investment project, largely enabled by a grant from the Local Skills Improvement Fund, was jointly sponsored by Samsung UK and Worcester Bosch in a four-way partnership arrangement that included regional renewable energy specialist Gasway who helped specify, design and install the technologies.
For many years, Colchester Institute has earned a strong reputation for providing commercial training, offering legislative and upskilling programmes in mechanical and electrical services, including plumbing, gas, electrical installations, and engineering. By leveraging available grants, subsidies, and funding opportunities the college is able to offer cost-effective, competitive training for employers vital to both their business operations and in meeting challenging economic growth targets for the region.
The Centre will ensure that the College is able to respond to high demand renewable energy skills needs across both Further and Higher Education, as the UK continues to chart a path towards decarbonisation, recently encouraged by the work of the new Labour Government. One of Labours five key missions is to make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower – removing fossil fuels from all of Britain’s electricity generation by 2030, accelerating to net zero.
The modern facilities will provide an opportunity to deliver a range of essential new skills in areas such as air source and ground source heat pumps, solar PV, solar thermal, hybrid systems, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging points. The Centre also has spaces where practical, hands-on learning can take place, and classroom space with interactive screens supporting theoretical knowledge delivered to commercial delegates, apprentices, and school leavers.
Gary Horne, Deputy Chief Executive at Colchester Institute, said: “The launch of this facility marks another significant milestone towards achieving our net zero strategy and demonstrates our commitment to the Essex Green Skills Infrastructure Plan. The project has been a real collaboration with industry leaders, and we are so grateful to have the partnership support in place that has provided the latest technology, equipment and advice to make our vision a reality.”
Alison Andreas, Principal and Chief Executive said “Colchester Institute continues to support the Essex Green Skills Review by developing green skills content across all our Level 3 programmes, and it goes without saying that our City needs this facility to help deliver on the ambitious new housing targets set for future decades, and also to help homeowners and landlords with retrofit technology to reduce energy costs”
The new centre features hybrid systems that allow different energy sources to be used at optimal times, maximising energy efficiency. Technical data can be analysed to monitor system performance and energy generation. Engineers can now work remotely from their smartphone or tablet using the latest technology.
The training centre is not just a commercial asset but also an educational resource for Colchester Institute’s employers and students. It will support apprenticeships in low carbon emissions technologies and enhance awareness of renewable energy among full-time students in various disciplines, including engineering and the trades.
The launch of this centre positions Colchester Institute as a regional leader in renewable energy training. The College plans to become an accredited training provider for major manufacturers, offering comprehensive training courses on new and emerging products and technologies.
Kevin Bull, Operations Director, Gasway Services said “We were delighted to be asked to partner with Colchester Institute on this scheme. Blue Flame a division of Gasway has been installing renewable technology in Essex and Suffolk for over 15 years and we know first-hand that there is an ongoing need for highly skilled renewable engineers to support customer demand”
Ewan Sutherland, National Training Manager at Worcester Bosch, said” We have a long history of collaborating with Colchester Institute and we were very pleased to extend our partnership arrangements into the Net Zero project, for the long term benefit of this fast moving industry”.
Scott Young, National Training Manager at Samsung Climate Solutions, said: “When Colchester Institute reached out to us, we couldn’t help but be a part of the project. Upskilling the industry is critical to both inspiring the next generation of installers and helping those already in the industry learn how to effectively install new technologies.”
Following the event, the College also ran a Heating and Electrical Trades event, showcasing the new Net Zero and Renewables Centre, alongside promoting their gas and electrical courses. This event also saw the launch of the ‘Gas Installation Technology’ book co-authored by two of their tutors, Andy Burcham and Steve Denney.
Further details of the Gas and Utilities training courses offered at Colchester Institute can be found here https://www.colchester.ac.uk/courses/areas-of-study/gas/
