New £1.5m green skills hub opens in South Devon

Businesses and leaders from across the South West joined together to celebrate the launch of South Devon College’s new state-of-the-art Clean Energy Centre, a regional centre of excellence for clean energy technologies and training. 

Local dignitaries, employers and stakeholders connected with staff at the grand launch event of the new facility and were given an insight into the cutting-edge training equipment and facilities used to upskill new and existing workforces in emerging clean energy solutions. 

The new centre, created using £1.5 million funding from Devon County Council and Torbay Council’s Devolution Deal, is now a central hub for businesses across the South West to upskill a new and existing workforce. It will also host training curricula for students enrolling on green energy technology courses, learning on modern equipment such as air source and ground source heat pumps, solar thermal and EV chargers.

Above: South Devon College Clean Energy Centre opening from left Great South West chair Karl Tucker, college principal Laurence Frewin, college vice-principal Steve Caunter and Torbay mayor Barbara Lewis

Karl Tucker, chair of Yeo Valley and chair of the Great South West, welcomed guests and officially opened the centre. He highlighted the importance of developing and educating a workforce in future technologies.

He said: “This new Clean Energy Centre is a clear example of how the Great South West region is leaning into its strengths. As a region, we have a compelling offer to the UK and the world based around our core strengths of the three securities that are vital to our nation — energy, defence, and food.  

“This centre sits firmly in that energy strand and will help us in developing the expertise and workforce we need, to lead on the delivery of clean and sustainable power.  

“We will need thousands of people across the UK who can install and service heat pumps, service electric vehicles, fit solar panels, retrofit buildings and manage increasingly smart energy systems. These will be some of the key jobs of the future but they are also jobs that exist right now that we are struggling to fill. 

“That is why this centre matters. It’s not just a building — it’s a response. A response to an increasing climate emergency, to a current and future skills gap and to a huge opportunity for our region.” 

Above: South Devon College Clean Energy Centre opening

The government has set a net zero target for 2050, which includes reducing emissions by 45 per cent and achieving 95 per cent low-carbon electricity, as well as having a goal of installing 600,000 electric heat pumps a year by 2028 — all great news for our cleaner environment, but the emerging technologies involved in achieving this are still relatively new and the workforce needs upskilling in order to deliver these aims.  

The Clean Energy Centre will be at the forefront of driving this training forward and, thanks to the newly-installed market-leading facilities, is reckoned to be uniquely placed as the South West’s focal point for emerging clean energy technologies. 

Guests were given tours of the ACS Research Centre and two new workshops  — specialising in plumbing and electrical — and introduced to each piece of equipment by staff from the college’s construction team who will be delivering the new courses. 

Mr Tucker said: “What impresses me most about this initiative is the partnership behind it. This isn’t just about education. It’s about collaboration — between the college, local authorities, businesses and regional organisations.  When we align education with the needs of the economy — when we link young people and adult learners with real pathways into green careers —  we unlock something powerful. We unlock long-term, place-based growth. This Clean Energy Centre is a model for that kind of thinking.” 

The college will initially offer an apprenticeship in renewable energy. A range of qualifications for businesses and individuals of all ages hoping to progress in a career in sustainable technologies will also be launched in collaboration with employers and using industry insight to ensure relevance.   

College principal Laurence Frewin said: “From offshore renewables to advanced manufacturing, the South West is well-positioned to drive forward clean growth. And institutions like South Devon College are central to that effort. 

“The Clean Energy Centre we’re opening today is not just a training facility, it’s part of a wider strategy to build a resilient, future-ready economy. The centre is a direct response to the growing demand for green skills. 

“It is with thanks to the capital grant funded by the UK government as part of the Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal and managed by Devon County Council that we are able to adapt to address this need. 

“Thank you to everyone who has helped bring this project to life.  We’re looking forward to seeing the impact it will have  —  for learners, for industry and for the region as a whole.”