Asset Skills Announces £1.4m Funding Deal For A Greener Future

The Green Deal – the UK Government’s flagship policy for improving the energy efficiency of buildings – is set to benefit from a £1.4m funding boost for skills and training. Asset Skills, as part of the Green Deal Skills Alliance, has secured the funding in order to continue its work in preparing the construction sector workforce for the launch of the Green Deal in 2012. The funding will be drawn from the Government’s £61m Employer Investment Fund. The Green Deal Skills Alliance – comprising Asset Skills, ConstructionSkills and SummitSkills – has been working to provide a skilled and qualified workforce to operate within the terms of Green Deal. Efforts so far have focused on the development of a Common Competency Framework, and the provision of additional learning units to ensure that Green Deal professionals deliver good customer service, backed up by a comprehensive understanding of the overall Green Deal process. Richard Beamish, Chief Executive of Asset Skills, commented: “The success of the Green Deal will depend on a highly qualified workforce delivering a high level of service. The funding we have received supports the implementation of this work and we are grateful to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.” He added: “The importance of training an advisor to understand wider topics like renewable technologies will make sure that professionals have a “whole house” approach to the Green Deal and don’t work in their specialist silos.” The second phase of the project will also see implementation of the new Green Deal learning and collaboration with existing regional low carbon initiatives. Work on the project will begin in 2012 and will be completed in 2014.