An innovative partnership between Northbrook College and leading environmental company, Kingsley Eco Solutions, has brought a pioneering training centre to Ferring.
Local businesses, county and town council representatives gathered at a vibrant and buzzing launch event to see the specialist facility which will deliver skills in renewable and environmental technologies. Northbrook Principal Sue Dare and Jeremy Taylor, Managing Director of the Kingsley Group, gave the opening address, highlighting how the partnership will benefit the local area in terms of training quality. Nick Turnbull, Managing Director of Kingsley Eco Solutions also spoke about recent changes to the industry that will create opportunities for quality training programmes for installers of renewable products.
The launch follows Northbrook’s recent award of 'National Skills Academy for Renewable Technologies' status, which makes them one of the few colleges in the South East able to deliver a range of competence based qualifications for the sector.
The new specialist training facility will provide a ‘live’ training centre where delegates will learn to install solar panels at height on a roof structure. The College will also provide courses on setting up a new business and offer expertise in becoming an independent installer.
Dean Wynter, Northbrook’s Head of Technology and Bob Blake of Summit Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the building services engineering sector, highlighted the aims of the National Skills Academy and the importance of the new range of environmental qualifications which will provide an educational revolution for the fast growing Renewable Technology industry.
More tradespeople will need renewable energy skills due to the growing popularity of environmental technologies and the government’s increasing commitment to meeting its low carbon agenda.
Picture: (left to right) Jeremy Taylor, Managing Director of the Kingsley Group, Northbrook Principal Sue Dare and Nick Turnbull, Managing Director of Kingsley Eco Solutions