The Great Green Upskill - A day of innovation and collaboration for a sustainable future

Coming in the middle of ten-day, fully-funded Teach A Trade bootcamps at the stadium, in heat pumps and in solar/battery storage, today's (March 15) Great Green Upskill job fair is supported by the WMCA and offers professionals, residents, and businesses a direct connection to renewables trainers and to tradespeople learning to deliver installs. 

Attendees can meet leading exhibitors - including Octopus Energy, Daikin, Primary Pro, Viper, Socket and See, Myenergi, Polypipe, Testo, Alpha, Inta, Mixergy, Ultimate Renewable Suppliers, City Electrical and Bells Plumbing Supplies - and educators Teach a Trade, New Perspectives, RMF training, Dudley College and EAL. There are interactive demonstrations, bringing the chance to learn from experts, and the fair is the ideal place to network, exchange expertise, and explore innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

"We are thrilled to bring together such a diverse range of industry leaders and experts under one roof," said Harry Wilkinson, founder and managing director of Teach A Trade. "Our goal is to create a platform that fosters collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing”.

Tim Barr, who services boilers for heating installers P H Jones, is on the heat pump bootcamp, led by Scottish renewables expert Ian Edgeworth.

“I’ve been on loads of courses, and this is probably the best one,” said Barr, who works across the Dudley area. “Ian has made it interesting, the way he’s delivered it has been great.

“Heat pumps are something I wanted to get into but didn’t know where to go. Ian highlighted so much what’s on offer. I’m surprised how involved it is – there’s a lot to take in and understand.

“When you have done something like this, you see why change is needed in the heating industry. The grandkids will benefit more than me. It’s not just about trying to save money, it’s the future”.

Also on the heat pump course is Yoan Nedelchev from Telford, who graduated as a heating engineer from Teach A Trade. “I’m following every time when there’s a new programme to upskill my knowledge and skills,” Nedelchev said. “The programme is really good, I’m really into it”.

Self-employed installation and servicing engineer Mark Blakey from Burntwood said he had signed up for the bootcamp for “the intrigue of getting extra knowledge” and found it “very enlightening”. 

David Aston of DNA Electrical Contractors, who is taking the solar skills course, said the bootcamp is a “really good idea - it’s a first step. It’s nice to see Octopus get on board, giving something back to consumers”.

Aston, a self-employed electrician since 2014, says he had been called on to install more EV charge points over the past 18 months than at any time previously. 

Solar is “going to be that commonplace, you need an awareness of it - the knowledge might be quite vital,” Aston said. He thinks that government targets for increasing solar generation are unrealistic, but target-setting is needed.

“Renewables will happen whether we like it or not. It’s the only way you can stop things like climate change.

“All of this is still early-stage technology - it will get better in time. If everyone had a solar panel on their roof, we’re a bit more likely to hit the target”.

Head electrical trainer and assessor at Teach a Trade Kieron Fisher, who has been at the training provider for almost two years, said “I love it – it’s about helping people and I’ve developed a thirst for knowledge myself”.

“You’ve got to have self-belief and a determination to give things a go,” he advises young people thinking about entering the trade, and career changers. “It's not quite as daunting as you think”.

Teach A Trade’s Harry Wilkinson said: "The Great Green Upskill is testament to what can be achieved in just six weeks with a dedicated team and the right support. This event marks an important milestone in equipping electricians and heating engineers with the skills and qualifications needed to thrive in renewable technologies”.