The visit took place as part of the government’s mission to drive its Clean Energy Jobs Plan forward. Launched last week, the plan aims to create over 400,000 new green jobs by 2030.
The Minister toured the College’s Green Skills Lab and its plumbing, carpentry and electrical workshops. She spoke with students and staff, to hear firsthand how the next generation are being prepared for careers in clean energy and sustainable construction.
Level 3 electrical installation students, Lenny, Ellis, Anis and Zain, talked to the Minister about their experience at college, their courses and ambitions for the future. The students explained how the skills they are learning will help them secure great jobs - and the importance of green technologies for the environment.
Lenny (18) explained: “I’m really enjoying my course. We’ve been learning about all sorts of green technologies including solar PV and wind turbines. These are all important for the future and our generation have to be the ones who do it.”
Anis (18) added: “I’ve always wanted to be an electrician and am learning a lot on this course. My ambition it to work hard to get my gold card, which will lead me to a good job and salary. We need to focus on green energy sources rather than just using fossil fuels as it is better for the environment as well as opening up new career opportunities.”
Deputy CEO and Executive Principal, Asfa Sohail accompanied the Minister on her tour, discussing the growing demand for technical and green skills training. The spoke about ongoing challenges around funding, particularly regarding recruitment of vocationally trained teachers and the lack of green skills qualifications currently available.
Minister White praised LSEC’s commitment to sustainability and its proactive role in tackling the green skills gap, commenting on the impressive enthusiasm shown by students and staff. She said:
“It’s inspiring to see how colleges like LSEC are equipping young people with the hands-on skills we need for a cleaner, more sustainable future. For me, hearing directly from students about their experiences and ambitions is crucial, so I’m delighted to have had this opportunity today.
“This College has a real buzz and excitement around green skills, with brilliant teachers, which has been great to see.”
Asfa Sohail added:
“We are delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase our green skills training provision – as this is something we have worked hard to develop and expand here at LSEC. We know that there are so many career pathways available in these industries, providing our students with exciting job opportunities.
“We want to ensure that our young people can access these opportunities. We are committed to working with employers and our other partners to continue offering high quality training pathways.
“I am extremely proud of our staff and students – and their commitment to a greener world. I have no doubt our young people have exciting futures ahead of them.”