Carbon Co-op’s area-based retrofit project is upgrading a group of homes in Levenshulme, South Manchester, aiming to improve energy efficiency, keep bills low and reduce carbon emissions. The key contractor for the scheme, Stockport-based B4Box, are not only a contractor but also a training provider, who are using the experience of retrofitting traditional Victorian terraced buildings to develop hands-on training and upskill the local workforce.
Through this project, fourteen operatives from a variety of trade backgrounds have completed the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings.
Real-time Model
The model employed by B4Box is to integrate classroom days with onsite experience: for example, one day in the classroom, followed by a couple of weeks working onsite, before returning to the classroom for a day. This real-time training model of interspersing offsite days effectively bridges the gap from theory to practice.
Michael Dickinson, Director at B4Box, says:
“It allowed the operatives who were studying for the qualification to reflect upon what they were experiencing on site and bring their thoughts, potential challenges, questions and queries, not just to share with the trainers but their fellow learners. Away from the pressures of working in someone’s home, they could have those quality discussions and follow up with the trainers in the training environment.”
The offsite environment has also contributed to the team ethos. Onsite, people might be working in different areas or different properties and are up against the clock, while offsite, they have space to create stronger relationships.
The participants are not the only group that benefit from this model: it also ensures that the knowledge and skills of the individuals leading the training are being continuously kept up to date with latest materials and requirements. In the retrofit space, where technologies, materials and specifications can change frequently, this is an important factor in the quality and relevance of the training offered.
The traditional approach of delivering this qualification involves an intensive course limited to two or three consecutive days in the classroom with immediate assessment. In comparison, the real-time and interactive training model B4Box designed incorporated a longer time period between the start of the course and the final assessment. Learner knowledge retention does not seem to be a particular challenge, however, because it allowed for the application of new knowledge and embedding of learning onsite in between the training sessions. A confidence assessment before and after the training showed increased confidence in all areas of working on traditional properties, recognising differences and recommending the most suitable energy efficiency interventions. Additionally, all the trainees said that they would recommend the course to a colleague.
“Certainly, I recommend the course as it’s very informative and must be the future for lowering carbon footprint and more importantly reducing people’s energy bills.”
Course participant
“The greater the training that people are undertaking is integrated with the practical construction work they are delivering onsite, the more effective and beneficial that training will be for all stakeholders.”
Michael, Director at B4Box
Social Value
This innovative model, making the most of the upskilling opportunity provided by site work, may prove particularly relevant for programmes with social value objectives such as local employment and upskilling. A practical consideration for training providers is that the real-time model requires more resource than the typical intensive course. In Levenshulme, this has been made possible through a financial grant from the MCS Foundation, a charity supporting the decarbonisation of UK housing. For many contractors required to deliver social value, this is offset by the high social values allocated to training and qualifications, not to mention the value of upskilling their workforce for an ever expanding field of work.
Wider Impact
As the delivery of the pilot scheme nears completion and the residents can enjoy the benefits of their improved homes, the wider impact of this training is that the local workforce are enabled to work on the growing number of retrofit projects that require a confident understanding of older buildings. Participants can put their new skills into practice in new roles and use their knowledge to inform and educate others that they work with. As the field of retrofit work expands, it becomes more and more important to establish this skills base with training that ensures confidence in correct working practices.
“We see this as a key element of the project, bringing extra value and impact in terms of supporting the development of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce in retrofitting. Something which is increasingly relevant in a world looking to achieve Net Zero by 2050.”
Catherine Simmons, Carbon Coop Project Manager
Thanks to Harlow Consulting, the authors of this blog.
