Plant training facility for operating construction vehicles opens

A dedicated training facility for the operation of construction vehicles has opened to help address the skills shortage.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), an additional 251,500 construction workers will be needed by 2028 to meet expected levels of work.

The new Green Plant Academy in Earls Court, London, involves a partnership between Places for London (Transport for London’s property company), the Skills Centre and the Earls Court Development Company (ECDC), in collaboration with the CITB, Sunbelt Rentals, JCB, L Lynch, the National Open College Network (NOCN) and FM Conway.

The academy has been designed to specialise in training on zero-emission equipment, providing career development while also helping the construction industry further transition to cleaner ways of working and ultimately address the climate emergency.

It will support emerging green technologies and low-carbon machinery, as well as highlighting best practice across the industry, to help learners and employers prepare for a more sustainable construction sector.

Laura Miller, construction skills manager at Places for London, said: “This industry-leading site will help us train the next generation of operatives who will help build the homes, offices and more that London needs to keep growing.

“By working with our partners, and focusing on sustainable ways of working, we are building new opportunities for local people and helping transform lives and the industry.”