Students attend clean energy jobs fair at college

About 175 schoolchildren and students from South Yorkshire have been finding out about careers in the green and renewable energy sector.

The Clean Energy Jobs Fair was held at Barnsley College, which opened its Clean Energy Training Centre in December last year.

The government said the Yorkshire and Humber region was set to benefit from 20,000 more jobs in the sector by 2030.

Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, who was at the event, said the region was "at the cutting edge of the UK's new nuclear, hydrogen and sustainable aviation sectors".

"We're proud to be home to the largest clean tech cluster in the country. Those industries will shape the future of our economy, and of our young people too," he said.

Clean energy involves switching to energy sources that do not rely on greenhouse gas emissions or other pollutants for their production and use, such as solar panels, wind turbines and hydropower.

Also at the event was Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Minister for Industry Chris McDonald.

Miliband said young people who attended the event had been "enthusiastic about clean energy jobs" and that the industry would help them to find "well-paid new careers without having to leave their hometown".

David Akeroyd, principal and chief executive of Barnsley College, said: "Through our Clean Energy Training Centre, we're giving young people and adult learners the practical skills they need to thrive in industries like retrofit, renewable technologies and sustainable construction, using the same kit they'll find on site when they start work.

"By investing in upskilling and retraining now, we're making sure our students are first in line for the opportunities that come with the transition to net zero."

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