Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is celebrating the opening of the East Anglia Energy Academy in St Ives.

The academy, a joint venture between Reed Environment and Oxford Energy Academies (OEA), is a leading provider of energy training courses.

The aim is to create new jobs and bring skills and investment to the district and give young people an avenue into trade skills as well as encouraging tradespeople to upskill.

The council’s Invest in Huntingdonshire team has worked with Reed Environment over the last six months to identify a suitable site for their second national academy to help assess

Located in St Ives, with easy access to the M11 corridor and out to Suffolk and Norwich, the state-of-the-art new skills centre will offer a wide range of training courses, assessments, and qualifications across gas, electrical, plumbing, oil, and renewable energy skills.

Cllr Sam Wakeford, executive councillor for jobs, economy and  housing  at HDC, said: “We are delighted to welcome Oxford Energy Academies to Huntingdonshire – here in a highly accessible location, central to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough region.

"We have worked closely with Reed Environment to make this investment happen, and this new academy demonstrates our commitment to fostering forward-thinking economic development in practice.

"This will help give local people a route into high quality jobs with growing opportunities, and also provide the skills our economy needs for our houses and businesses to make the transition to net zero.

Cllr Lara Davenport-Ray, executive councillor for climate and environment at Huntingdonshire District Council, said: "Many local people tell me they want to upgrade the heating and electricity in their home.

"But, without trained local tradespeople in retrofit technology, progress stalls. With accessible training academies, like this Energy Academy, we bridge the gap between demand and expertise.

"This collaboration between public and private sectors not only empowers workforces for present and future needs but also supports our local economy.”

Nykki Rogers, economic development manager at HDC, said: “This is a phenomenal investment success, not just for Huntingdonshire but for entire East of England. The council’s joint administration has been clear that our team focuses on delivering the strategic priorities of the green economy and carbon reduction."