Employers pledged their support for the next generation of engineers and young people exploring careers in the trades at a Derbyshire training centre’s open day.
Smart Energy Training threw open the doors of its Ashbourne centre for the launch of its Essential Trade Futures campaign, which invites employers and industry partners to make practical pledges to help the next generation access apprenticeships and build careers in vital trades.
The campaign aims to address the growing shortage of skilled tradespeople while helping more young people aged 16 to 24 access meaningful career opportunities, including those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
New figures revealed 981,000 people in that age group were NEET between April and June.
Adam Kolaszynski, Smart Energy Training Centre Manager, said: “It was fantastic to welcome both future apprentices and employers to our flagship Ashbourne facility.
“Alongside showcasing the revamped facilities to visitors, we also launched our Essential Trade Futures campaign, which looks to unite the industry in a concerted drive to help address the skills shortage.
“As part of that we have committed to increasing access to high-quality trade training across the UK, and this week we launched our new electrical and plumbing apprenticeships to complement our existing gas and low-carbon heating apprenticeship provision.”
The Ashbourne open day follows a period of rapid growth for Smart Energy Training. The provider has expanded through a series of acquisitions and continued investment in its training centres, increasing its capacity to deliver apprenticeships across the country.
Ms Sue Moore, Deputy Mayor of Ashbourne Town Council, attended the open day.
She said: “This training centre is a fabulous asset for Ashbourne. The facilities are state-of-the-art and I met so many people passionate about sharing knowledge and teaching the next generation of apprentice engineers.
“It’s great to see the new heat pump technology being taught alongside long-established gas. I wish the centre all success for the future.”
Former BDO World Champion, current Sky Sports pundit and one-time plumber Mark Webster was at the event to take on visitors in a special darts challenge, with prizes for anyone who can beat the Welsh icon.
Smart Energy Training became part of the Realise Training Group in March last year. Realise is one of the largest training providers in the UK, offering apprenticeships and adult skills programmes to more than 18,500 people each year.
Since the acquisition, Smart Energy Training has already expanded from one centre to six, with plans for further growth in the months and years to come.
