Training providers across England have until August 25th to bid for a share of £8.85 million government funding to offer courses in retrofitting and installing insulation.
From now training providers like colleges and accreditation providers will be able to bid for a share of £8.85 million to help up to 8,000 people – whether current installers or those new to the industry – develop the skills and expertise needed to retrofit homes with energy saving measures.
The courses will be free or provided at low cost, and will cover a range of key energy efficiency measures, from putting in loft insulation to draught-proofing. This will not only help drive household energy bills down and reduce emissions, but represents key employment opportunities for people to stay in and progress in work.
Training providers will have until 25 August 2023 to apply for the funding to deliver the courses, with training places expected to open later this year.
Training, which will be delivered until 31 March 2024, will be focused on two packages:
- retrofit assessor and retrofit coordinator: provision and delivery of training to PAS 2035 standards
- insulation: provision and delivery of training to National Occupation Standards or higher in the installation of domestic insulation measures
Derek Horrocks, chairman of the National Insulation Association (NIA) and the National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) said: “Achievement of energy efficiency targets is vital to ensure that millions of people across the country can enjoy a warmer, healthier home. A fundamental requirement for achieving this ambition is building a workforce of sufficient size and skill to deliver.
“Our members look forward to collaborating with all those working to develop green skills and make this competition a success.”
