Leicester College is set to open a new renewable energy hub at its Freemen’s Park Campus in March 2025. The Hub will feature state-of-the-art renewables and green tech equipment including air source heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage systems and EV charging stations. This will enable students, staff and employers to gain hands-on, practical experience with the latest green technology.
The Green Technology Hub will support a range of Leicester College courses from Level 2 to Level 4, focused on renewables and green technology including:
- Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Sustainability, Pollution and Waste Management
- Understanding Impacts of Industry and Organisations on the Natural Environment
- Energy Conservation and Efficient Buildings and Structures
- Renewable Energy
- Sustainable Energy Technologies
- Sustainable Energy and Renewables
The renewable energy hub is funded by the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund and will be fitted out by Quantum Training, a UK renewable training provider, which will also train Leicester College staff on the equipment.
Nick Allen, Construction Area Manager at Leicester College says, “The UK currently faces a large green skills gap, so the development of our Green Technology Hub represents a step in the right direction by helping to provide a new generation of skilled workers who can take advantage of the career pathways in the rapidly-growing UK green technology sector.
“As well as being the cornerstone for our new green tech courses, this new Green Technology Hub development will provide an excellent opportunity for our current students, adult evening learners and for local employers who are looking to upskill their workforce.”
Maria Gonella, Managing Partner at Quantum adds, “The government’s Net Zero Strategy has targets of supporting 440,000 green jobs by 2030. This new job market has evolved and continues to evolve rapidly. Leicester College students will be among some of the first in the country to gain hands-on experience with green technologies, gaining a sound practical foundation in the basic principles of cleaner energy generation and energy saving technology.”
Leicester College, along with its partners Loughborough College, North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College and SMB College Group, was successful in bidding for funding through the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund.
The College has successfully been awarded funds to develop training programmes to meet local employers’ skills needs in key industries including the green sector. These programmes support four key aims: decarbonising transportation; green leadership skills; digital upskilling; and employer skills training.
