New BCoT Centre to boost green energy skills training

Basingstoke College of Technology, in Worting Road, offers technical, vocational, and academic qualifications and it has opened a new Green Energy Centre with a £150,000 investment from the Department for Education. 

The cash was part of the Strategic Development Fund (SDF) and includes equipment to demonstrate and teach how to install and maintain ‘green’ technologies. 

Initially, students on the College’s Level 2 Construction multi-skills qualification and construction short courses will have access to the centre, before it opens up to students across BCoT.

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BCoT’s head of construction Steve Gilder said: “The ambition to reach net zero and to be more sustainable means the construction industry is an ever-changing landscape, with new technologies being regularly introduced.

“It is therefore imperative that we equip our students with the skills, information, and confidence to meet the demands of the industry.

“The new Green Energy Centre will provide an informative introduction to all things ‘green’, retrofit and net-zero within the construction sector and allow our students to work within a state-of-the-art environment in which they can learn and develop their skills.

“We also look forward to welcoming local employers to the centre, who want to train their staff in the skills necessary to meet net-zero targets.”

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BCoT's new centre (Image: BCoT)

The new facility adds to the college’s range of green technology provision. The college is also home to the Electric Vehicle (EV) training centre, which was the first in the south east.

Principal Anthony Bravo said: “BCoT has a long-standing reputation for offering excellent educational opportunities and we are proud to now be able to offer students and regional employers the opportunity to study in such a unique facility.

“We are grateful to receive government support for the centre, which is a testament to the education provision available at BCoT.

“This is a significant step forward for the education and training provision in Basingstoke which will help the construction industry meet net-zero targets.”

Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, visited the centre as part of Colleges Week, an annual campaign to celebrate contributions colleges make in their communities.

Maria Miller at the centre (Image: BCoT)

Ms Miller said: “It was great to see first-hand how this further government investment in the education of students at BCoT will enable the upskilling of the local workforce in new green technologies.

“This will enable students to gain new skills and ensure local businesses can offer more green solutions to their customers.

“This new Green Energy Centre, along with the college’s existing Electric Vehicle Training Centre is a significant milestone for BCoT and will increase the college's training opportunities and provision for the construction industry.”