About the project:
The Green Homes Grant (GHG) Training Programme awarded grant funding to a range of suppliers to deliver accredited training to the low carbon installation sector at scale.
18 training providers were appointed to deliver subsidised courses that reflected the skills needed to install individual energy efficiency, and low carbon heating measures supported by the Green Homes Grant scheme, Local Authority Delivery scheme, Energy Company Obligation, and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
The GHG Training Programme delivered courses across five work packages:
- Retrofit assessor and retrofit coordinator
- Insulation
- Non-insulation fabric measures
- Heat pumps and solar thermal
- Heating and hot water controls
Key facts:
6,938 training courses completed
302 organisations supported for PAS / MCS accreditation
92% overall learner satisfaction rate
Lessons learnt
Learners interviewed in the evaluation were asked for their views on the cost of / level of subsidy attached to the course, and its influence on their decision to sign up to the course. Many said the subsidy offer was the catalyst for them to take up training.
A key supportive factor in engaging learners, cited by most training providers, was wider policy – both from government as to the general direction of the industry (e.g. net zero), and more specific changes to required qualifications e.g. new requirements for NVQs, or the benefits and opportunities opened up by PAS accreditation.
One training provider acknowledged that initially their course comprising a number of fixed, lengthy lectures was hard for learners to fit into their working day. They revised this during the Competition to a smaller number of longer lectures, recorded so learners could access them in their own time.
Role of the Hub
This national scheme was funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and administered by the Midlands Net Zero Hub.
The Hub supported the training providers of the scheme. The Hub tracked progress and delivery of the training courses, ensuring that KPIs were met.
After concluding the competition in October 2021, the Hub commissioned an external evaluation of the scheme to identify successes and areas for improvement.