Net Zero Skills Centre celebrates second anniversary with major upgrade announcement

The second phase of a new Net Zero Skill Centre that is training new generations sustainable skills to support a greener future was launched at Suffolk New College this week.

The centre was originally opened two years ago thanks to a £940,000 investment courtesy of the Ipswich Town Deal funded by the UK government.

Now 24 months on, thanks to a host of industry partnerships and funding support, the college launched phase two of this exciting project for the region.

Supporters include the UK government (via the Local Skills Improvement Fund), Greenscape Energy, NIBE Energy Systems Ltd and Suffolk County Council, who have awarded over £38,000 to support the project via the Suffolk Skills Deal that is funded by Suffolk Local Authorities.

Upgrades include new solar energy training equipment, a new heat pump (donated by NIBE) and NIBE alongside Greenscape Energy are helping develop and deliver courses with the college in order to fill large skills gaps in the renewable energy sector.

To celebrate their second anniversary of supporting people via various training programmes in East Anglia and beyond, and to officially launch the second phase of the build, around 50 people attended a celebration including Elango Elavalakan – the Mayor of Ipswich – at the building based on Rope Walk in Ipswich.

During the occasion, Principal and CEO of Suffolk New College Alan Pease welcomed guests and gave an update on the project.

He said:

“Today we celebrated the launch of our new and improved Net Zero Skills Centre. So far, we have supported over 1000 students via training programmes related to the green sector and the new investment will give us the opportunity of developing new talent in jobs specifically related to energy. We really appreciate the support of our many partners in helping us fills skills gaps in this exciting industry.”

He said:

“Today we celebrated the launch of our new and improved Net Zero Skills Centre. So far, we have supported over 1000 students via training programmes related to the green sector and the new investment will give us the opportunity of developing new talent in jobs specifically related to energy. We really appreciate the support of our many partners in helping us fills skills gaps in this exciting industry.”

Emma Taylor is the Suffolk New College director of business development and major projects.

Emma said:

“This new investment will enable us to improve and increase sustainability training in the region. We received ‘The Inenco Award for Education for Sustainable Development’ at the annual Association of Colleges Beacon Awards last year, partly as a result of the work we have achieved in this centre. We continue to be passionate to meet the green skills needs of our net zero future, and the industry partnerships we are celebrating here are essential to deliver the skills that are needed.”                         m/f

Emma continued:

“The demand for new talent is growing so we all need to work together. This Net Zero Skills Centre is leading the way in making a difference.”

Paul Smith is the Managing Director of NIBE.

“Our industry requires a skilled workforce to be able to meet the ambitious targets the government has set for heat pump deployment. Over 100,000 full time roles are required across the heat pump workforce by 2035. Facilities like this training centre are where the magic happens – equipping the next generation with the expertise to drive sustainable heating solutions. We are proud to be a partner of this fantastic facility and excited for the journey ahead.”

Guy Fairweather, Chief Operating Officer of Greenscape Energy Ltd, highlighted the company’s commitment to supporting the college through the installation of approximately £10,000 worth of solar equipment.

“The installation at the centre was a fantastic team effort,” Guy said. “Several of our key suppliers generously provided equipment free of charge, and we carried out the work at cost to ensure the college gained maximum benefit. By doing this, we’re not only strengthening our connection with the college and the local community but also contributing to the future of the industry. Every sector needs fresh talent, especially as technology continues to evolve. It’s important to inspire the next generation to explore careers in a range of industries, and we believe in taking an active role in making that happen.”