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Tool up today with free Green Skills training in trades and construction and boost your future earnings and start building your green reputation today.
Surrey County Council has been awarded funding to support more than 500 local tradespeople with free or part-funded Green Skills training. This is part of the push for Surrey to be a net zero county by 2050.
With the demand for green skills currently outweighing the supply and the government continuing to push for greener solutions, it's a good idea to get involved now.
Our flexible, free, and low-cost courses cover essential subjects such as air source heat pumps , whole-house retrofit, and insulation installation. This is your opportunity to:
- Future-proof your career
- Boost your earning potential
- Become an expert in an upcoming, emerging market
- Keep your services in high demand
Funded places on green skills courses for all trade and construction professionals are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Courses
Whether you're new to the construction and trade industry or an experienced built environment professional, there's a course for everyone.
Most of these courses are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Select the link below relating to the relevant course to apply.
Free courses
The following short introductory courses are available free. They give an over of the key concepts in retrofit, energy efficiency and areas of other sustainable construction. They can all be completed online at any time and at your own pace
This free, two hour course gives you the essential information to understand what retrofit is, learn more about the industry, and grow your knowledge.
The Innovation South Virtual Campus (ISVC) is an online learning platform with a wide range of free, skills-focused, bite-sized courses, designed to upskill and re-skill employees. It includes a suite of Green Skills' learning programmes, including courses in Carbon Literacy, Domestic Retrofit, Water Conservation Technologies, Sustainable Resource Management and Tree Planting and Climate Change. These courses provide a free initial introduction to these key topics which will help you future-proof your skills and maximise your earning potential in these rapidly-growing sectors.
Skills Bootcamps
Skills Bootcamp courses are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for Surrey residents. Sign up to gain new skills and fast-track your future.
Courses across Surrey are now live and available through to the end of March 2025.
Retrofit Skills Centre - South London
There is also a range of training available from providers in the south London region, please see the Retrofit Skills Centre training website.
What are green skills?
'Green skills' is the umbrella term used to describe the technical skills, knowledge, behaviours, and capabilities needed to tackle environmental challenges and unlock the growth opportunities they present."
For the construction industry, this means a switch to using more eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient technologies, and having a workforce familiar with all green construction methods. Finding new ways to reduce our impact on the environment is not just about meeting sustainability goals, it's about making the construction industry a leader in creating a more environmentally friendly future.
The urge to go green is becoming more popular with both trades and consumers - meaning there are more jobs for those with the right skills. According to ElectricalDirect, a quarter of us are now more interested in sustainability than they were a few years ago, and over a fifth of tradespeople have been questioned by potential customers about the environmental impact of their work over the last year.
Hiring for green jobs is showing no signs of slowing down despite the recent downturn in the UK economy. In fact, having one or more 'green skills' can increase your chances of getting hired by 29% (according to a recent report on LinkedIn), meaning green jobs are showing themselves to be a smart way to plug the cost-of-living crisis gaps.
Research from Kingfisher plc, owner of B&Q and Screwfix, found that over half of the tradespeople surveyed had seen an increase in requests for green jobs despite still needing the skills to take on the work.
Green jobs already make up 3.7% of Surrey's economy - a figure that's expected to grow, due to increased demand from businesses and consumers, by 8% annually until 2030.
As momentum in the industry continues to build, upskilling now puts you ahead of the curve by building a green reputation and bank of desirable skills.
By 2050 90% of homes in Surrey are estimated to be using heat pumps. That's the potential for 425,000 houses needing new tech installed to replace the traditional gas heating in Surrey alone. To power this transition, we'll need more than 1200 skilled installers to meet those requirements.
To secure your future career and boost your earning potential, learn the necessary skills for upcoming jobs today.
Becoming a heat pump engineer
Eligibility
Green Skills training is designed for anyone to learn the trades needed to power Surrey's future economy, meaning anyone can apply to take part.
For instance, a number of roles such as surveying and air source heat pump maintenance require a high level of customer service, which may make them suitable to those currently working in public-facing roles such as retail, hospitality or property.
The main thing is you have the passion and desire to take your knowledge out into the wider world.
You must live or work in Surrey to apply to a Green Skills course. Other than this, there are no eligibility requirements, though some courses might require you to have certain qualifications or previous experience, which will be detailed on the course information pages linked above.
Those applying for Skills Bootcamp courses must be aged 19+ and can only complete one Bootcamp each financial year.
Cost and funding
Most of the current courses available are free, meaning you can build your green skills without it costing you a penny.
For those that aren't free, if you're unable to fund yourself, you can ask your employer to contribute or find other funding, such as career development loans.
Your chosen training provider may be able to provide further information.
You can sign up for as many courses as you need to. Some restrictions apply to Skills Bootcamps so double check with your training provider if you have any queries.
