Huge financial boost for training and green skills in Essex as an Electric Vehicle Centre officially opens in Harlow.
Garden Town partner, Essex County Council, is funding 50 new places at Harlow College, giving local people the chance to develop professional green skills qualifications in electric vehicle repair and maintenance.
With the Garden Town’s Transport Strategy outlining electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the local area, investment for the 50 new training places is being funded through the County Council’s Levelling Up fund and is part of their Everyone’s Essex strategy.
The electric vehicle repair and maintenance courses, located in new facilities located within the college campus, have been developed by Essex County Council, Harlow College and Harlow District Council.
The Electric Vehicle Centre was officially opened by Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow and Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education and Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council.
Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Community, Partnerships and Performance, said: “This centre will support local people to develop new professional qualifications in electric vehicle repair and maintenance, which we know will be a major growth sector in the future.
“It’s apt that we celebrate the opening during National Careers Week, as it is so important that we invest and create new opportunities in careers and education as we work to level up the County.
“It is also about developing green skills, as electric vehicles are key to supporting our transition as a County to carbon net zero.”
Acquiring, maintaining and developing high quality skills is essential in the Essex job market and Electric Vehicle skills are known to be in high demand locally.
Harlow District Council have anticipated that by 2030 there could be between approximately 6,000 and 14,000 electric vehicles in the area, creating a need for trained technicians to carry-out repairs and servicing to these vehicles.
Successful completion of the new Electric Vehicle course will provide technicians with the required qualifications to achieve IMI Techsafe™ recognition, allowing them to demonstrate their up-to-date proficiency to work on electric vehicles, a professional recognition that ensures safety and rigour within the industry.
Rt Hon Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow and Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education said: “I have visited Harlow College over a hundred times now so it was wonderful on this occasion to be invited again to open their new electric vehicle centre.
“This new centre will be a fantastic demonstration of the importance of Levelling Up at both a national and local level, bringing real-time benefits to Harlow residents.
“It is vital that we continue to offer new skills and technological advances for local people to enable them to take the first step onto the ladder of opportunity to reach the ultimate goals of good jobs, security and prosperity.
“Building a skills nation is vital for the future and if young people are able to take that first step now and grasp the opportunity with both hands under the strong leadership of Harlow College, I have no doubt they will succeed for generations to come.”
Cllr Tony Ball, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, added: “As a Council, we are committed to doing our part to ensure that the people of Harlow have access to the education and skills necessary to secure jobs of the present and future.”
