COLLEGES in Reading and Wokingham are set to head up a new panel aimed at fostering more sustainable building practises in Berkshire.
Reading College and University Centre and Bracknell and Wokingham College have announced that they are leading the launch of a Green Construction Advisory Panel in the borough.
It comes as part of a national project launched by the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH) which will see green advisory boards rolled out across the UK.
The Green Construction Advisory Panel (GCAP) is a member-led committee formed of building services and construction businesses, with support from government agencies, training providers, and relevant charities in the sector.
It is designed to develop training and education opportunities to promote sustainable building practises and close the “skills gap” facing entry points to green careers.
This includes helping the industry adapt to new technology, assess their environmental impact, and aiding efforts to reach net-zero targets.
It follows the establishment of the GCAP by Exeter College in 2022, since which 19 regional centres have been set up, and more than thirty training providers, including local authorities and charities, have signed up.
Reading College will be joined by Bracknell and Wokingham College, both part of Activate Learning, as members of the Berkshire committee.
This will see them reaching out to collaborate with other institutions in the area, such as businesses, schools, and other organisations, to work with the advisory board.
Following the launch, students applying for construction pathways at the colleges will have a a Level 1 Award in Energy Efficiency embedded into their courses.
This includes learning about retrofitting new technologies to improve sustainability, including heat pumps, solar panels, and loft insulation in older properties.
Geoff Coughlan, National Vice Chair of BACH and Director of Construction and Engineering at Activate Learning stated: “Building on the success of BACH, the GCAP model offers a straightforward yet impactful approach to engaging with our local economy.
“It helps us understand the skills and recruitment challenges facing the industry and allows us to learn from and share best practice with other training providers across the country.
“Together, we will collaborate with professionals from the green sector to provide practical, action-oriented solutions for the benefit of the current and future workforce.”
Mike Blakeley of GCAP and Executive Director of Future Skills & Apprenticeships at Exeter College said: “GCAP has had a huge influence on our approach to ‘Green Skills’, careers engagement and collaboration with regards to the College’s approach to Net Zero.
“It has grown from 12 founder members to over 160 and expanding it nationally is a natural evolution. We know that the impact of BACH’s support in doing this will be both significant and positive.”
Graham Hasting-Evans, President of BACH and chief executive of international skills solutions provider NOCN Group, said: “To address the existential challenge of climate change we need a radical change in skills across the whole of the construction workforce, affecting both existing occupations and the new ‘green jobs’ which are rapidly emerging.
“This cannot be run centrally; local areas and employers are best placed to drive the modularised changes needed as and when they are required in a practical and pragmatic way.
“GCAP has demonstrated the great benefit of this ‘bottom-up’ approach and we at BACH are delighted to be able to support rolling this out across the UK.”
More information is available via: reading.activatelearning.ac.uk
