6 colleges in the Liverpool City Region have been developing a range of curriculum and training initiatives that directly address the evolving skills needs of employers in Liverpool City Region’s green sector.
 

The overarching goal is simple yet profound:- impart better skills that lead to better jobs, ensuring that students have every opportunity to lead improved lives. The momentum behind these projects has been made possible through the support of the Strategic Development Fund (SDF).
 

The projects have centered on green skills and sustainable working practices, with the 6 colleges collaborating with each other and leading a project. These include:-

· Electrification of Vehicles (Hugh Baird College)

· Modular Housing (Wirral Met College)

· Hydrogen Technologies (Riverside College)

· EV Charging Points (Southport College)

· Retrofitting (St Helens College/Knowsley College and City of Liverpool College)
 

Leading the Electrification of Vehicles project, Hugh Baird College has developed electric/hybrid vehicle courses at Levels 1 and 2 in collaboration with the industry, upskilled tutors in the latest skills and invested in new facilities.
 

Hugh Baird College Principal and Chief Executive, Rachael Hennigan, said:- “Thanks to the SDF support, we have procured high-spec electric vehicles, top-of-the-range diagnostics, and developed industry-standard workshop facilities to ensure the highest quality of education and training for our students. This commitment to excellence is further exemplified through our partnerships with industry giants such as Toyota, Lexus, and Hatfields Jaguar. These collaborations ensure that our students are equipped with both the technical skills and the employability skills that are in high demand in the automotive and green industries workforce.”
 

“As part of the project, we have developed bespoke Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Maintenance courses through partnering with local automotive dealers. These courses are tailored to meet the specific needs of employers, ensuring that the curriculum we offer is future proof to meet the evolution of the automotive sector in line with the City Region’s ambitions to achieve net zero carbon by 2040.”
 

A representative from a Toyota Dealership shared:- “Working in collaboration with Hugh Baird College and sharing our intelligence will enable our industry to grow and will have a stronger impact on the quality of delivery of auto-tech qualifications of the future.”
 

Hugh Baird College plans to develop and introduce Electric/Hybrid Technology qualifications at Level 3 and 4 from 2024.