West Nottinghamshire College and leading certification body and training provider NAPIT have joined forces to help students and employees wanting to take advantage of the opportunities available to electricians and installers of low-carbon energy across North Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
College principal Andrew Cropley (fifth right) and NAPIT’s commercial and compliance director Stephen Melton (fourth left) launch the partnership, joined by NAPIT’s head of training Brett Forster (third left), the college’s head of centre for building services Andrew Stevens and apprenticeships manager Paul Stringer (third and fourth right), and refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump apprentices Finley Bellas, Cole Fisher, Archie Sellars and Hayden Smalley.
The two organisations have formed a collaborative partnership to create a stronger, more effective pathway into qualifications within the building services, renewable energy and low-carbon sectors.
NAPIT is based on the Pleasley Vale Business Park where it provides electrical courses, as well as training in technologies such as heat pump, battery storage, electric vehicle charging and solar PV installations. The college delivers refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump training at the same site, which also serves as an end-point assessment (EPA) centre for plumbing, heating and refrigeration apprentices and holds City & Guilds approved EPA provider status in ‘recognition of excellence in apprenticeship delivery.’
The agreement between the two organisations will provide access to appropriate work placements and apprenticeships, a clear progression route for semi-qualified electricians and low-carbon heating engineers, and a pathway into industry for full-time learners.
It will also create opportunities to upskill current electricians and local businesses, enabling them to enhance their skills, deepen their industry knowledge, and expand into emerging areas such as renewable energy and low-carbon technologies.
Learners could gain access to the NAPIT CPD platform and the NAPIT Foundation, which aims to support students during their learning journey with technical helpline access and supporting articles to best practice guides and webinars.
NAPIT’s head of training Brett Forster (first right) and commercial and compliance director Stephen Melton (first left) show college principal Andrew Cropley one of the custom-built rigs at the company’s Mansfield Training Centre.
Working with NAPIT, the college aims to strengthen its training in renewable energy systems, retrofit and energy efficiency, equipping learners with the knowledge and practical expertise needed to meet evolving industry demands and contribute to the transition to low-carbon technologies.
West Nottinghamshire College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley MBE said: “I'm delighted to celebrate yet another exciting partnership for our college. Working with NAPIT will help us engage with a number of local and regional businesses, many of them at the forefront of clean and low-carbon energy, and support them in recruiting and developing their workforce.
“It will also enable us to equip our students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight needed to become highly employable by NAPIT's member businesses.
“Crucially, this collaboration strengthens the link between education and industry, helping to bridge the gap between training and employment while ensuring our courses remain up-to-date and relevant as the sector continues to evolve. I very much look forward to us working with, and learning from, our new partners at NAPIT.”
The college’s apprenticeships manager Paul Stringer (first right) and head of centre for building services Andrew Stevens (first left) demonstrate one of its refrigeration systems used to train apprentices to NAPIT’s head of training Brett Forster.
NAPIT commercial and compliance director Stephen Melton said: “NAPIT and West Nottinghamshire College both provide training in the same building where we have our headquarters in Pleasley Vale, so it makes perfect sense for us to collaborate and work together to benefit learners and employers in the local area.
“We are keen to promote the benefits of employing apprentices and the opportunities available to electricians and installers of low-carbon technology, especially given the drive towards heat pumps and solar PV in recent Government announcements such as the Warm Homes Plan and the Future Homes Standard.
“The partnership agreement between NAPIT and the college will help to create a stronger, more effective pathway into qualifications within the building services, renewable energy and low-carbon sectors.
“Combining the resource and expertise of both organisations will help to offer a wide range of enhanced opportunities for learners, employers and NAPIT members in the area. It will support employers and businesses in the East Midlands, strengthen employability and upskill the industry to make the most of the growth opportunities available to electricians, heating engineers and installers of heat pumps, solar panels and batteries.”
College principal Andrew Cropley, head of centre for building services Andrew Stevens and apprenticeships manager Paul Stringer visit ‘The Rooftop’ solar panel training facility at NAPIT’s Low Carbon Technologies Centre of Excellence, pictured with the company’s commercial and compliance director Stephen Melton and head of training Brett Forster.