New £1.5m electric vehicle training centre opens

A new electric vehicle (EV) training centre has opened with bosses saying they want to train up the next generation of 'green' mechanics.

New College Swindon launched the £1.5m EV Training Centre in partnership with local garages.

Secretary of State for Transport and Swindon South MP, Heidi Alexander - a former student at the college - opened the facility and said it will help train the "next generation of workers in Swindon".

The Independent Garage Association has projected the UK could face a shortfall of EV technicians of more than 29,000 by 2035 as production of EV vehicles outstrips the qualified workforce.

About 10 courses will be run at the centre, allowing students to qualify for a number of EV roles.

Student ambassador Elisa, 16, said the new training centre "is a good place to start for sustainability".

She said: "Hopefully it can be the start of it [sustainability] expanding across the college and the country".

Elisa said protecting the planet is "important" to her and her friends.

"It is our future. If nothing happens now it could change everything," she added.

Former New College student the Secretary of State for Transport and Swindon South MP, Heidi Alexander, cut the ribbon and officially opened the training centre

Amy Buxton, head of business development and solutions at New College, is part of the team working in partnership with local garages and businesses to find out the skills needed.

She said the businesses she talks to are "screaming out" for staff qualified to work on electric vehicles.

Ms Buxton said the college wants to be at the "forefront of providing" the next generation of EV technicians who will have the skills to "go out into the workforce and deliver".

Amy Buxton is head of business development and solutions at New College

When the students first looked around the new centre "the buzz was amazing", said technical trainer Chris Priest.

He said students would study electric vehicle training level 1-4, which included diagnostics, as well as autonomous vehicles.

"Its not just electric vehicles, it's the future of autonomous driving as well," he added.

Christ Priest is technical trainer at the new centre

Alex Stroud, who works for local new and used car dealership Fish Brothers, said the training centre is "so exciting for future students and our future employees".

The company has worked closely with New College and donated the electric vehicles that students will work on within the training centre.

Ms Stroud recently met prospective students and said there is a skills gap generally within the motor trade but particularly within the field of technicians who carry out MOTs and repairs on EVs.

She added: "The motor trade is very male dominated, so we're also really keen on [encouraging] more women into the workforce."

Alex Stroud works for Swindon car dealership Fish Brothers

The sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2030 in line with the government's commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Heidi Alexander said: "It's great to see the college moving into the 21st Century and making sure we're training up the next generation of workers in Swindon."

She said the transition to net zero is going to be "vital" to the UK economy.

This week the Conservative Party pledged to scrap net zero goals, something the Reform party has already done.