Powering London’s clean energy future
South Bank Colleges is proud to have been named as a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College, recognising the college’s growing role in preparing learners for the skills, jobs and technologies that will shape the UK’s clean energy future.
Based at London South Bank Technical College in Nine Elms, the Clean Energy Technical Excellence College will help learners, apprentices, adults and employers develop the practical skills needed for careers in areas such as low-carbon heating, retrofit, heat networks, solar photovoltaic systems, electrical engineering, renewable technologies and electric vehicle infrastructure.
This national recognition builds on the college’s existing green skills work and its close links with industry. It also supports London’s need for a highly trained workforce that can help make homes, buildings and infrastructure cleaner, more efficient and ready for the future.
What is a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College?
Clean Energy Technical Excellence Colleges are part of a government-backed programme designed to strengthen technical education in key sectors of the economy.
The programme supports selected further education colleges to act as specialist centres of excellence. These colleges bring together high-quality teaching, modern facilities, employer partnerships and clear progression routes, helping learners move from education into skilled employment.
For clean energy, this means developing the workforce needed for a changing economy. As homes, transport, public buildings and infrastructure become greener, employers will need people with the technical skills to install, maintain, design and improve the systems that make clean energy work.
For learners
The Clean Energy Technical Excellence College at South Bank Colleges will give learners access to practical training in a growing sector where skilled people are in demand.
Students will be able to learn in specialist facilities at London South Bank Technical College, developing the hands-on skills and technical knowledge needed for real working environments. The college’s clean energy pathways support people at different stages, including school leavers, adults looking to retrain, apprentices and experienced tradespeople who want to upskill.
Learners can explore routes into areas such as:
- Retrofit and energy efficiency
- Low-carbon heating
- Air and ground source heat pumps
- Solar photovoltaic systems
- Electrical installation
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
- Building services and green construction
- Apprenticeships and higher technical pathways
Whether a learner is starting a first career, changing direction or adding new skills to an existing trade, the Clean Energy Technical Excellence College will help create clearer routes into skilled, future-focused work.
For employers
The Clean Energy Technical Excellence College is built around collaboration with employers.
South Bank Colleges works with businesses and industry partners to make sure training reflects the skills employers need now and the technologies they will need in the future. This helps learners develop the confidence, experience and technical understanding required in the workplace.
Employers can support the programme by helping shape curriculum, offering industry placements, contributing live briefs, supporting apprenticeships, sharing specialist knowledge or working with the college to upskill existing staff.
For employers, the Clean Energy Technical Excellence College offers a way to help build the next generation of clean energy workers while strengthening the skills of the current workforce.
Why South Bank Colleges?
South Bank Colleges is well placed to support clean energy skills in London.
London South Bank Technical College was designed as a specialist technical campus, with modern facilities and a strong focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. Its Nine Elms location places learners close to major employers, transport links, regeneration projects and the growing technical skills needs of London.
The college is also part of LSBU Group, creating stronger links between further education, higher education, employers and applied innovation. This gives learners clearer progression opportunities and helps employers connect with a broader skills pipeline.
The Clean Energy Technical Excellence College status recognises the work already underway at South Bank Colleges and provides a strong platform for further growth. It will help the college expand specialist provision, strengthen employer partnerships, support staff development and share expertise with partners across the region.
Courses and pathways
South Bank Colleges already offers a growing range of green skills and technical courses linked to clean energy careers.
These include training in retrofit, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic systems, electric vehicle charging, electrical installation, plumbing, construction, engineering and apprenticeships. The offer is designed to support different learners at different stages, from introductory courses through to advanced technical qualifications and work-based training.
The aim is simple: to help learners gain the skills employers need and support London’s transition to a cleaner, greener economy.
Get involved
South Bank Colleges welcomes conversations with employers, partners and organisations that want to help shape the future of clean energy skills in London.
By working together, the college can help learners build rewarding careers, support employers with the skills they need and contribute to the wider move towards cleaner homes, cleaner infrastructure and a more sustainable economy.
To find out more about clean energy training, employer partnerships or opportunities to work with South Bank Colleges, please contact the college at
