The East Anglia Energy Academy to open in St Ives, Cambs

The East Anglia Energy Academy, in Harding Way, will offer courses, assessments and qualifications covering gas, electrical, plumbing, oil and renewable energy.  

Charlie Mullins OBE, Founder of Pimlico Plumbers, will be among the guests attending the official launch event tomorrow (Wednesday).  

Dave Bendall, founder of OEA, at the East Anglia Energy Academy which opens in St Ives this week. (Image: James Gifford-Mead)Meanwhile, the UK Trade Skills Index has warned of a “catastrophic” and increasing skills shortage that will impact the UK’s trades and construction sector. 

The St Ives facility will be part of an ongoing drive to plug this gap and will be part of the OEA, which offers energy courses and already runs a similar academy in Oxford.  

The East Anglia Energy Academy, in St Ives, will offer a variety of courses for the next generation of tradespeople. (Image: James Gifford-Mead)As part of the venture, the OEA is also working in partnership with Reed Environment, which aims to develop a “green workforce” to help the UK meet its Net Zero targets.  

• Recommended Reading: 'Happy school’ rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted
• Recommended Reading: Earith Primary School celebrates opening of new play area

Dave Bendell, Founder of OEA, added: “The industry urgently needs a pipeline of new and accredited talent if it is to keep up with demand.  

“OEA is working to address this and promote the need for green skills, and to be supporting businesses locally.     

“Our Energy Academies are accredited end-point assessment centres which means that learning and assessment can be completed in the same place.  

“To date, we have obtained a 100 per cent success rate regarding end-point assessments and are thrilled to now be bringing Electrical Apprenticeships to the East of England.” 

The St Ives facility will be part of an ongoing drive to train more tradespeople and construction sector workers. (Image: James Gifford-Mead)

The East Anglia Energy Academy is fitted with high quality workshop and assessment areas, classrooms, and computer facilities. (Image: James Gifford-Mead)All training courses are open to members of the public and bookings are being taken for the first set of entrants in September.    

The East Anglia Energy Academy will offer assessments and qualifications covering gas, electrical, plumbing, oil and renewable energy (Image: James Gifford-Mead)Tom Hoines, Energy Services Director for Reed Environment, said: “We are delighted to be helping [OEA] scale while addressing the escalating skills shortage to create the next generation of talented and environmentally aware electricians and plumbers.”