More than 350 Greater Manchester residents have accessed training via Green Skills Academy

Over 350 Greater Manchester residents have accessed training in green technologies through programmes offered at the city-region’s Green Skills Academy, which launched in Trafford Park in 2023.

Since launching in January last year, 351 people have attended Skills Bootcamps and short courses covering a range of green technologies, including heat pumps and solar PVs. The Green Skills Academy was established by The Growth Company to close the skills gap in net zero technology needed for the city-region to meet its ambitious 2038 carbon neutrality goal. Programmes offered help businesses to prepare and upskill their workforce for the opportunities and challenges presented by the transition to net zero.

Roosevelt Alexander, Director of the Green Skills Academy, said:

“We opened our Green Skills Academy last year to play a key role in overcoming the skills shortage in the green sector. We have seen some fantastic learners come through the Academy and we can already see the positive impact they are having within the workforce.

“It has been an incredible first year and we look forward to continuing to build on these experiences and ensuring that we are offering the best possible experience for our learners and preparing them to enter the workforce.”

One learner who is looking forward to starting a new role in the sector is Nigel Harrop, who completed the Skills Bootcamp in The Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Types; he said:

“After working overseas for 23 years in the Oil and Gas sector, I returned home to work in the UK.  After being unsuccessful trying to gain employment, I was directed to the Green Skills Academy as I wanted to learn more about the renewable energy sector.

“I found the course and the tutor brilliant it really opened my eyes to the sector. After completing the course, I secured an interview and am now preparing to start a new role in the energy sector.”