Lancashire businesses take up challenge to go green

SMEs from across the county have taken their first steps towards reducing their carbon footprint with help from The Lancashire Colleges’ Strategic Development Fund (SDF) Pilot.

At the same time, further education colleges across the county have created new training centres and courses to skill up the next generation of workers for careers in green jobs.

Working with employers of all sizes across agriculture, construction, energy, advanced manufacturing, digital and automotive, the pilot aims to create a skilled workforce for a future low-zero carbon economy.

Businesses, colleges and programme leaders across the county discussed the pilot’s success at a Skills for a Low Carbon Economy conference earlier this month.

The Lancashire Colleges was chosen by the Department for Education to deliver the SDF Pilot, exploring how education providers can work together more effectively alongside employers and other partners to respond to local skills and innovation priorities as well as tackling the zero-low carbon agenda.

One firm taking part, ELE Advanced Technologies, which makes precision engineering components for aerospace and energy markets, said the support has helped begin its journey to becoming carbon neutral.

Environmental consultants have helped it to improve the awareness of its senior directors about climate change and plan for its new production facility to be fully powered by renewable energy.

David Stanley, finance director at ELE Advanced Technologies, said: “The SDF training has accelerated our understanding and capability to change alongside our ambition to drive the company to net zero. Engaging with the SDF support has provided ELE with a huge benefit.

“We have already introduced solar panels and an energy optimisation project with a target to reduce our energy consumption by 35 per cent and are looking at a plan to become completely carbon neutral.

"Our plans will sustain us for today and be efficient for tomorrow. We are a small business but we want to use our engineering talent to help make environmental change in the world.”

Employers can find out more at www.tlc.ac.uk/sdf.