From Partnerships to Practice: How Elmhurst Energy is Supporting Colleges to Expand Green Skills Provision
From retrofit and energy assessment to wider sustainability knowledge, colleges and universities are playing a vital role in preparing learners for careers that support the UK’s transition to more energy-efficient buildings.
As demand for green skills grows, education providers face increasing pressure to deliver training that is practical, industry-relevant and aligned with the needs of employers. At the same time, they must ensure quality standards are maintained and learners leave with the knowledge and confidence needed to progress into employment.
This is where strong partnerships between education and industry can make a real difference.
At Elmhurst Energy, we work with further and higher education providers across the UK to support the delivery of quality training in energy assessment, retrofit and building performance. By sharing our expertise, assessment services and industry-standard tools, we help providers strengthen their green skills provision while supporting learner outcomes and industry standards.
Meeting a Growing Need for Green Skills
The built environment industry is changing. Net zero ambitions, energy efficiency targets and the drive to improve existing housing stock are creating demand for professionals with specialist knowledge and practical skills. For further and higher education providers, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Learners are increasingly looking for pathways into emerging green careers, while employers need people with relevant, up-to-date skills.
Developing and delivering this type of training often requires access to specialist expertise, quality assurance processes and industry-recognised resources. That’s why many providers choose to work alongside organisations that can bring practical industry experience into the learning environment.
At Elmhurst, our aim is to help providers deliver training that reflects real-world industry requirements, while giving learners a clearer route towards future employment opportunities.
A Partnership Approach That Works for Providers
No two colleges or universities approach training delivery in exactly the same way.
Some providers are looking to introduce new green skills programmes. Others already have established courses and want additional support in areas such as assessment, quality assurance or staff development.
To help meet these different requirements, Elmhurst offers a flexible range of support services that can be delivered individually or combined as part of a wider partnership. These include assessment and verification services, train-the-trainer programmes and access to industry-standard EPC and retrofit software used by professionals across the sector.
This flexibility allows education providers to retain control over their own delivery models while benefiting from the additional support and technical expertise available through a specialist industry partner.
Ultimately, it is about helping providers offer learners the best possible experience while ensuring training remains relevant to current industry needs.
Putting Partnership into Practice: Exeter College
One example of this approach in action is Elmhurst’s partnership with Exeter College, where Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) training is now being delivered.
The partnership brings together Exeter College’s experience in vocational education with Elmhurst’s specialist knowledge of energy assessment, training and accreditation.
By combining these strengths, the College is able to offer learners a pathway towards becoming qualified Domestic Energy Assessors, developing the knowledge and practical skills required to assess the energy performance of existing homes and produce Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).
Elmhurst supports the delivery of the qualification through its industry expertise, assessment services and training resources, helping ensure learners are developing skills relevant to the requirements of the profession.
With courses now underway, the partnership is demonstrating how colleges can expand their green skills provision by working alongside industry specialists.
The Learner Experience
For learners, access to industry-relevant training provides an opportunity to build technical knowledge, develop practical skills and explore new career opportunities within the energy assessment sector.
Nicola Harman was among those who completed the Domestic Energy Assessor training at Exeter College, successfully gaining her qualification and expanding the services she can offer through Fords South West Ltd.
With an existing background in renewable technologies, including solar PV, battery storage and heat pumps, Nicola’s new qualification allows her to carry out Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for residential properties, complementing her existing expertise.
Reflecting on her achievement, Nicola highlighted the importance of understanding a property’s energy performance and the role EPCs play in helping homeowners, landlords and businesses identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue expanding my knowledge and helping customers make informed decisions about energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.”
– Nicola Harman, Domestic Energy Assessor, Fords South West Ltd
Nicola’s experience demonstrates how the partnership can support professional development, helping individuals build on their existing knowledge and broaden the services they provide.
Supporting Colleges to Deliver Industry-Relevant Skills
For Exeter College, the partnership is an opportunity to build on its existing education provision while helping learners access the specialist skills needed within the energy assessment industry.
By working with Elmhurst, the College can draw on established industry knowledge and support while retaining responsibility for delivering training to its learners.
“ Working with Elmhurst Energy has allowed us to build on our existing training expertise and create new pathways into the energy assessment industry. It has been fantastic to see this partnership being translated into real opportunities, with learners successfully completing their qualifications, developing valuable industry skills, and progressing on their learning journeys towards sustainable employment and career development within the sector.
As demand for green skills continues to grow, initiatives like this play a vital role in helping address workforce challenges while providing individuals with clear routes into rewarding careers. We are also delighted to be strengthening our relationship with Elmhurst Energy through our work with the Green Skills Advisory Panel (GSAP), where Elmhurst now sits on the national board. This collaboration creates even greater opportunities to align training with industry needs and support the development of a skilled workforce for the future.
We are looking forward to building on this success and helping even more people access opportunities in the growing green skills sector.”
– Luke Moss, Skills Manager, Exeter College
Extending Opportunities: Forth Valley College
Elmhurst is also working with Forth Valley College in Scotland to support the development of green skills training.
In August 2026, the College’s Skills Transition Centre announced a partnership with Elmhurst to deliver the Domestic Energy Assessor qualification, helping create further opportunities for learners looking to enter the energy assessment sector.
The collaboration combines the College’s vocational education expertise with Elmhurst’s industry knowledge and accreditation support, providing another example of how this partnership model can be adapted to meet the needs of different education providers.
The initiative supports Forth Valley College’s wider commitment to developing future skills and helping learners access opportunities within lower-carbon industries.
Kenny MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley College, said:
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Elmhurst Energy to deliver the Domestic Energy Assessor qualification. As the demand for energy efficiency expertise continues to grow, this programme will provide delegates with valuable skills and career opportunities within a rapidly expanding sector. This partnership further strengthens the College’s commitment to supporting Scotland’s green and future skills agenda and developing the workforce needed for a low-carbon future.”
Why Industry Collaboration Matters
One of the biggest advantages of collaboration between education providers and industry is that it helps bridge the gap between learning and employment.
As demonstrated by the work underway at Exeter College, these partnerships can help turn industry expertise into practical training opportunities for learners.
Providers gain access to specialist knowledge and support, while learners benefit from training informed by current industry practices, professional tools and real-world expectations.
This is particularly important in areas such as energy assessment and retrofit, where standards, methodologies and industry requirements continue to develop.
By working together, education providers and industry organisations can help ensure training keeps pace with the skills needed across the built environment, giving learners the confidence to pursue careers while supporting wider sustainability goals.
Supporting Green Careers Week and Beyond
The focus on green skills has never been greater, and initiatives such as Green Careers Week continue to raise awareness of the wide range of opportunities available across the sector.
For learners, these careers offer the chance to play a meaningful role in improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings while developing valuable technical skills. For education providers, they represent an opportunity to equip the next generation with knowledge that is increasingly sought after by industry.
Partnerships such as those with Exeter College and Forth Valley College demonstrate how education providers and industry specialists can work together to make these opportunities more accessible.
As demand for green skills continues to grow, collaboration will remain an important part of ensuring learners receive high-quality training that prepares them for the opportunities ahead.
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