CBC-0961-DPS-LS-BESS-24 UKSPF 2024-25 Green Skills - AWARD

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the government's levelling up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the country. The ambitions are based around the government's 3 investment priorities: communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. The Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy is looking to commission provision as part of Central Bedfordshire Council's response to the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) - People & Skills programme for the 2024-25 financial year. BESA is inviting qualified and experienced training providers to submit proposals for the development of green skills, with a particular emphasis on retrofitting. As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, we recognise the urgent need for skilled professionals capable of implementing retrofitting projects to enhance energy efficiency and reduce the ecological footprint of existing structures. As your organisation is an Approved Provider for the Council's Employment and Skills Academy, you are invited to tender for a contract to deliver Retrofitting workshops and courses (later referred to as 'courses') to residents (later referred to as 'learners'), within the Central Bedfordshire area. This funding aims to address the lack of current workforce with the necessary skills to undertake work by developing and delivering a comprehensive training programme. If you wish to submit a tender, please complete the accompanying BESA UKSPF Tender Questionnaire, BESA UKSPF Profile and BESA UKSPF Course Information Sheets and upload them via In-tend. Tenders must be submitted by midday Friday 2nd August 2024. Tenders received after that time will be excluded. Green Skills Definitions and Requirements • Green skills can be defined as "the knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a society which reduces the impact of human activity on the environment". • Green skills are often associated with sectors that will play a major role in reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, such as power, home heating, waste, and resources. • We want to support people into green work by encouraging a pipeline between education and employment. • This will relate to sectors such as sustainable construction (i.e. retrofit), renewable energy technologies (i.e. installation), electric vehicles (i.e. repair and maintenance) etc. This will involve upskilling and reskilling activity. It is