Recent Government initiatives have seen a push towards promoting sustainable businesses, by encouraging them to take advantage of new business opportunities within the new low carbon economic sectors. Bedford College is getting in on the act, by leading a regional push to offer free training in ‘green’ renewable energy jobs to the unemployed.
The European Social Fund has provided £650,000 to help unemployed people find work in low carbon jobs. This is being promoted through the Skills for Sustainable Development (SSD) Project, whose main aim is to help people who are economically inactive or looking for work by offering them free training in skills that will ultimately encourage a low carbon society.
Bedford College is working closely with partner agencies across the region – including other colleges, as well as employers and local councils – to ensure the effective delivery of the project.
Current courses include Awards in Environmental and Sustainable Development, Renewable Electricity (solar photovoltaic systems, micro wind), and Renewable Heat (solar thermal, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps). Courses are free and easy to enrol on and the length of courses ranges from one day to a maximum of two weeks.
Skills for Sustainable Development Project Manager, Janette Eustace, who is also a member of the Bedford College Sustainability Team, said:
“By engaging with so many groups we can encourage more sustainable business practices and therefore look towards our low carbon future, whilst providing unemployed people with added skills for their chosen careers.”
For more information about the courses available, go to www.greenbedfordcollege.com
