Construction educators from North East colleges gained first-hand insight into retrofit and renewable technologies during a specialist continuing professional development (CPD) visit to one of our North East sites in Sunderland.
Delivered through the North East Construction Technical Excellence College (North East CTEC), the visit welcomed construction educators from across delivery partner colleges to learn more about current industry practices and how they can inform teaching and learning.
As a North East CTEC industry partner, we were delighted to host the session which included an overview of ‘what is retrofit’ from our sustainability team. Delegates then explored the site to see retrofit measures, PV panels and air source heat pump heating systems in practice with our RE:GEN Green team.
The visit forms part of the North East CTEC’s wider work to connect educators with industry and help them keep pace with developments across the construction sector.
Rebecca Storey, Regional Construction Skills Director at North East CTEC, said: “Working closely with industry partners gives our educators the valuable opportunities to see construction in practice and understand how the sector is evolving. Sessions like this help strengthen the link between industry and education, giving educators knowledge and insight they can bring back into the classroom to support our learners.”
Rachel Smith, Head of Social Impact at RE:GEN Group, said: “It was great to bring educators together with our team to share practical insight into retrofit and the technologies shaping the future of our sector. There’s a real appetite to understand what retrofit looks like on the ground and how we can use that experience to inform the learning of the next generation of construction professionals.
“Retrofit also presents a huge opportunity to create skilled jobs while making a real difference to people’s lives through warmer, more energy-efficient homes. Working in partnership with Gentoo, we’re improving around 450 homes in this part of Sunderland. It’s important that we share what we’re learning along the way, helping to build the skills and knowledge needed to deliver this work at scale.”For delegates, seeing retrofit technologies first-hand provided an opportunity to consider how current industry practices could be reflected in teaching and learning.
Simon Nelson, Site Carpentry and Joinery Lecturer at Stockton Riverside College, said: “Part of my teaching covers building principles, including sustainability in construction, so I found the visit really insightful. Seeing how homes are retrofitted in practice also makes the subject more relatable for learners. I was particularly interested in the surveying of homes and the long-term investment in technologies such as heat pumps and solar panels, and the benefits they can bring”.
The visit forms part of the North East CTEC’s Further Education Teacher in Industry Exchange (FE TIES) programme, which supports continuing professional development and knowledge exchange between education and industry.
The North East CTEC is led by Sunderland College and is one of only 10 in the country – connecting educational institutions, training providers and employers to strengthen construction skills across the region. To find out more and get involved,visit www.northeastctec.co.uk or email info@northeastctec.co.uk.
