Bedford College VR Green Skills Training Programme

Bedford College, part of The Bedford College Group, has secured a national Skills Innovation Grant of 15,000 GBP from the NOCN Group Foundation to develop and pilot a VR-based green skills training programme. The college is co-investing an additional 25,000 GBP, bringing the total project investment to 40,000 GBP.

The programme will use virtual reality to deliver immersive, hands-on training in renewable energy and sustainable construction — skills areas identified as high-demand in the South Midlands through Local Skills Improvement Plans. Students will be able to practise tasks such as solar panel installation, heat pump fitting, and eco-friendly building techniques within a safe, simulated environment that removes the physical costs, risks, and logistical barriers of traditional practical training.

The initiative is designed to serve a broad range of learners: 16-18-year-olds in initial education, NEET young people aged 16-24, and adults seeking to retrain for the green economy. VR's flexibility and accessibility are central to the programme's design, enabling participation by learners who may not thrive in conventional training settings.

Bedford College will work with local employers to ensure the curriculum reflects real-world industry expectations, and is partnering with technology providers to develop high-quality VR content. The UK green economy now encompasses over 690,000 jobs and continues to grow, and the project aims to help students build a direct pathway into this expanding sector.

Bedford College was one of nine organisations selected as inaugural recipients of the NOCN Group Foundation's 2026 Skills Innovation Grant Programme, which was established to stimulate new approaches to skills challenges including green economy transitions and technology-based learning.

Quotes

“We're absolutely delighted to receive this funding, which allows us to explore new and innovative ways of delivering green skills training. What's particularly exciting about this project is its potential to engage students who may not thrive in traditional training environments. By using immersive technology, we can open up more flexible, inclusive and responsive ways of learning. Working closely with employers also means we're not just innovating for the sake of it; we're developing training that reflects real-world expectations and helps build a workforce that's ready to meet the challenges of a more sustainable future.”