Half Million Pound Green Skills Hub Announced for Brent

A bold new partnership has secured half a million pounds of investment to create a new green skills hub for Brent.

The Green Skills Centre will be delivered by the United Colleges Group at the College of North West London in partnership with Brent Council and other key stakeholders.

Scheduled to open in mid-April 2022, the hub will offer a range of green skills courses for students in the local area and from across the city.

As green skills and technology become increasingly important, the new hub will place Brent at the centre of London’s efforts to become a cleaner, greener, and more efficient city fit for the future.

The hub has been made possible thanks to a successful bid for half a million pounds of funding from the Mayor’s Academies Hubs programme.

The Mayor’s Academies Programme awards grants with the aim of helping Londoners bounce back from the effects of the pandemic and promoting sustainable employment in priority sectors.

The courses available at the new hub will focus on the green agenda and a wide range of construction and engineering subjects.

Students will be able to learn about air source heat pumps, electrical vehicle charging, internal and external wall insulation, and a variety of other important technologies.

The exciting and forward-thinking new hub will enable educators, employers, and other organisations to work in partnership to develop a programme that promotes employability, learning, and skills.

Once it opens to students, it will also play an essential role in the United Colleges Group’s key 2024 strategic aim of being widely recognised for delivering world-class education and skills.

Green skills, and the learning and teaching that underpin them, are fundamental to the United Colleges Group’s vision for the future and the group is proud to be working alongside its partners to create this exciting new opportunity for the local community.

Stephen Davis, Group Principal and CEO of the United Colleges Group, said:

“Green skills are an essential part of modern learning, and the United Colleges Group is proud to put them front-and-centre in our offering.

“Our new Green Skills Centre will play a key role in helping us achieve our aim of making sure that Brent is a place that students can learn these vital skills and prepare for their futures.

“I would like to thank all of our partners for making this possible and I look forward to continuing to work with them into the future.”

Assistant Principal Curriculum Delivery & Enhancement

Construction, Engineering & the Built Environment, Vito Martino, said:

“Green skills and technology will only become more vital as we move forward and Brent needs to be at the centre of this push.

“Our green skills hub will offer a range of qualifications and courses that will equip students with the skills, experience, and knowledge they need to be competitive in these increasingly exciting fields. 

“I want to congratulate everyone who has been involved in making this project possible.”