New Stourbridge training centre hailed by MP

An energy training centre in Stourbridge will offer valuable employment and upskilling opportunities, the town’s MP said as the ribbon was cut on the revamped facility.

Smart Energy Training held an open day at its new Stourbridge centre on Tuesday (August 4), at Unit 4 on Stambermill Industrial Estate on Timmis Road.

The event was attended by Cat Eccles, Member of Parliament for Stourbridge, and Councillor Mohammed Hanif, of Dudley Borough Council, as well as scores of manufacturers, employers and prospective learners.

Mrs Eccles said: “Smart Energy Training’s investment in this centre is a vote of confidence in Stourbridge and a boost for young people in the area.

“Locally we have a high rate of people not in employment, education or training (NEET) so I am keen to see any measures to improve the situation, particularly in the green energy space.

“It was fantastic to see the new high-tech equipment at the centre, which supports the government’s drive to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and help lower energy bills.”

Smart Energy Training, the UK’s fastest growing training provider in the energy sector, has made a number of acquisitions this year, including Elements Training & Assessment in Stourbridge which was launched in 2016 by Matthew Stonehouse and his dad Ian.

The business will now operate under the Smart Energy Training banner, with Matthew and Ian still involved.

Former world darts champion and current Sky Sports pundit Mark Webster was present during the open day to take on visitors in a fun challenge.

Those who scored more than the Welsh icon won a prize, while the person with the highest score went home with a new drill.

Paul Drew, Director for Smart Energy Training, said the day had been a success, with dozens of people enquiring about training opportunities.

Paul said: “We had a fantastic day showing people around our new facility, which exists to help build the next generation of gas, plumbing, electrical and low-carbon engineers.

“We have both apprenticeships and short courses on offer to support employers with their recruitment needs, as well as helping young people access meaningful skilled careers.

“There is a significant skills shortage in this sector especially around the West Midlands and local area which needs to be tackled head on to ensure the country has the engineers is needs to keep homes and businesses warm, while successfully transitioning to low-carbon energy.”

Smart Energy Training recently launched its Essential Trade Futures campaign, which encourages organisations to recruit apprentices or transfer unused Apprenticeship Levy funds.

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.