retrofit
The Retrofit Academy strengthens training network by opening 10th hub

The Retrofit Academy strengthens training network by opening 10th hub

The Retrofit Academy has opened its Hampshire Training Hub in partnership with workforce solutions and training specialist, SERT Training, increasing its nationwide network of training hubs to 10. As Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding increases demand for retrofit talent, The Retrofit Academy Hampshire has

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Latest Issue
Issue 325 : Feb 2025

retrofit

The Retrofit Academy strengthens training network by opening 10th hub

The Retrofit Academy strengthens training network by opening 10th hub

The Retrofit Academy has opened its Hampshire Training Hub in partnership with workforce solutions and training specialist, SERT Training, increasing its nationwide network of training hubs to 10. As Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding increases demand for retrofit talent, The Retrofit Academy Hampshire has been established to meet this demand by upskilling workforces and unlocking new career opportunities for individuals. The new training partnership will provide contractors and housing providers in the region with the highest quality training for Retrofit Advisors, Assessors and Coordinators required to work on upcoming programmes. The Retrofit Academy’s nationwide network of Training Hubs is licensed to provide leading retrofit courses curated by the UK’s experts in retrofit knowledge and skills. From The Retrofit Academy Hubs, contractors and social housing organisations around the country can access sector-specific qualifications ranging from levels 2-5, including: Successful delegates will be able to unlock new career paths that the SHDF and HUG have provided, helping contractors, local authorities and housing associations to address their practical retrofit skills gaps. As more organisations begin to understand the labour requirements that their projects present, they can now work with The Retrofit Academy to develop a workforce capable of delivering high-quality retrofit at scale. With hubs across the North East, Midlands, South East and South Wales, The Retrofit Academy’s licensing gives technical colleges and other further education centres the tools to deliver the leading, nationally recognised retrofit training. Licensed partners are granted access to a host of helpful resources and support, including a ‘train the trainer’ programme for two staff members, learner and tutor support from The Retrofit Academy’s expert team and full Retrofit Academy membership for 12 months. Mark Edwards, CEO of SERT Training, said: “We are thrilled to announce our exclusive partnership with Retrofit Academy to deliver their qualifications across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This milestone signifies our commitment to providing individuals with the skills needed to drive their own retrofit plans forward. “With our range of domestic clean heating and power courses, these qualifications will complement our offering perfectly. We are grateful for the support we have received from The Retrofit Academy, and we are excited to welcome the first cohort of learners onboard early November. Both our organisations share the same high standards in learner experience and content quality, so alignment has been very straightforward and a lot of fun.” David Pierpoint, Chief Executive at The Retrofit Academy added: “The launch of TRA Hampshire in partnership with SERT Training is another great step in extending the capacity for delivering retrofit at scale in the South East. Learners who train at The Retrofit Academy Hampshire will get access to the nation’s leading and most established training courses and graduate in a strong position to support with delivery of high-quality, large-scale retrofit across the UK. “Our work with training providers to create career paths for qualified retrofitters and bring graduates together with employers is important to address the practical retrofit skills gap for SHDF programmes. With 10 training partnerships established and over 5,500 learners having put their trust in us to date, we are keen to replicate this model other key UK regions to increase numbers and develop the workforce even further.” For more information on how to become a training partner with The Retrofit Academy, please visit:https://retrofitacademy.org/training-licence-partnerships/?utm_medium=feature&utm_source=pr&utm_campaign=pressoffice&utm_term=trahampshire Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals 

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Retrofit service to train 3,500 builders from Greater Manchester in green skills by 2026

A retrofit service that helps people in Greater Manchester to eco-refurbish their homes is planning to train 3,500 builders, joiners, electricians and plumbers in green skills over the next five years with money raised via a £550,000 community share offer. The not-for-profit ‘People Powered Retrofit’ service is seeking investment from individual investors so it can scale up its specialist eco-renovation training and help the city region hit its 2038 net-zero carbon target. Although there is demand from householders to green their properties, there is a shortage of skilled, local contractors who can deliver the work. People Powered Retrofit is already a member of Mayor Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester Retrofitting Task Force which aims to tackle this problem. In addition to developing new green jobs and skills, People Powered Retrofit plans to use the money raised to make 1,150 homes in the region more energy efficient by 2026, saving 2,700 tonnes of carbon. From as little as £250, anyone can become a part-owner of People Powered Retrofit which already works with hundreds of householders in Greater Manchester, giving them independent advice on finding trusted ‘green’ contractors and choosing the right eco-upgrades: from wall, floor or roof insulation to high performance windows and doors or draught-proofing works. Funds raised through the community share offer will also help the not-for-profit service to recruit extra retrofit advisors, co-ordinators and assessors and reach thousands more householders, supporting them to improve the energy performance of their homes. Jonathan Atkinson, People Powered Retrofit programme manager said: “Our homes are responsible for about 20% of the UK’s carbon emissions but to make properties more energy efficient, at scale, we need thousands more builders, installers and tradespeople with specialist green skills. Money raised through the community share offer will go towards skilling up this ‘green’ workforce.” Floor insulation contractor, Boris Afinogenov said: “The training I got through People Powered Retrofit convinced me to turn my woodwork hobby into work. They gave me access to information and to people connected with floor insulation. I also learnt about whole house insulation. They helped me to realise my ambitions, so I didn’t have to go back to my sales job.” Ethex CEO, Lisa Ashford said: “We’re very pleased to welcome People Powered Retrofit to the Ethex platform. Our investors love to use their money to fund impactful organisations like this to scale and grow, and this organisation is a great example of grassroots action to tackle climate change.” The People Powered Retrofit community share offer is open for investment until 30 November 2021. Investments start at £250 and go up to £55,000. Investments in the share offer target a 5% return. Visit https://www.ethex.org.uk/invest/people-powered-retrofit for more details. Investors should read the Community Share Offer document carefully, including the Terms and Conditions section, before making a decision to invest.

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