South & City College Birmingham has unveiled cutting-edge resources at its Bordesley Green Campus, made possible through support from the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF).
This significant investment underpins the College’s commitment to delivering a new suite of green skills and retrofit training programmes that are equipping students and local employers with the expertise needed to meet the West Midland’s green energy goals.
The state-of-the-art facilities include:
- Two new build interactive houses for hands-on learning.
- External wall insulation rigs.
- Green flat roofs.
- Non-gas heating solutions.
- Rainwater harvesting systems.
- Renewable energy training rigs, featuring photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar thermal tubes, heat pumps, wind turbines, and battery storage solutions.
These resources will not only benefit students from diverse disciplines but are also designed to help
local employers upskill their workforce in green technologies, supporting the West Midlands
Combined Authority’s (WMCA) ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2041.
The WMCA works in partnership with the employer representative body for the region – led by
Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce – on behalf of the three chambers in the region to
support the programme.
Future-Focused Partnerships
In addition to the new facilities, the College is collaborating with the University of Birmingham on an
exciting initiative to create a district heating training facility for apprentices. This project aligns with
the University’s £20 million investment in a district heating training centre at Tyseley, next to the
hydrogen refuelling centre and local recycling and waste management sites.
Meeting Local and Regional Demand
Recent research highlights the urgent need for over 1,000 new retrofit trainers in Birmingham across
trades such as external wall insulation installers, solar PV installers, and retrofit coordinators. The
College’s involvement addresses this skills gap, ensuring the region is well-prepared for the green
energy revolution.
Executive Director of Business Services, Rebecca Waterfield, said, “Our investment in these world-class facilities demonstrates our commitment to providing learners and local businesses with the skills they need to thrive in a sustainable future. By aligning with regional priorities and collaborating with partners, we are ensuring that Birmingham leads the way in green energy and retrofit training.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said, “My focus is on creating real opportunities for local people to get the skills they need for good jobs in growing sectors like green technology and retrofit.
These training facilities are a key part of delivering progress for our region – helping people build their careers while driving the West Midlands towards a greener, more sustainable future.”
Led by Solihull University College and University Centre, colleges across the region, working with the WMCA and Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce secured over £10m of LSIF funding in November 2023 to enable further education colleges and training providers to train local people to land good jobs in new and growing industries in the region.