A new training facility that will help equip the automotive industry to meet the rising demand for hydrogen-fuelled vehicles has launched at South & City College Birmingham (SCCB).
Funded by a £1.5m grant from the Office for Students, the workshop will deliver engineer training on hydrogen light vehicles, PSVs and HGVs. The investment includes the purchase of a Bluepower e-base refuse collection vehicle to facilitate realistic training.
The new facility was first announced in December 2022 when the funding was secured following a competitive bidding process and has been turned into reality thanks to a partnership between the college and Enginius, part of vehicle manufacturer Faun Zoeller, which specialises in hydrogen-powered municipal vehicles.
The 450m2 ATEX-compliant workshop meets all industry specifications, incorporating robust ventilation and safety systems and includes vehicle lifts and an EV training area.
All students at SCCB engaged in automotive courses will benefit from the new facilities, with an immediate focus being on upskilling the existing automotive workforce to Levels 3 and 4, as well as supporting higher education students on foundation degrees to access real-world training opportunities. It will also provide new pathways for lower lever students who can then progress.
Mike Hopkins, principal at SCCB, said: “I am very pleased that the WMCA Mayor Richard Parker has given us so much support and has opened our new facility. With the Government planning to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, it is imperative that the automotive sector is ready for the switch to alternatively fuelled vehicles, including hydrogen.
“Commercial fleet operators such National Express, and local authorities operating refuse collection and road sweeping vehicles will require suitably trained engineers to maintain those fleets. This is why we’ve invested so heavily in these specialist facilities, including the purchase of our own branded Bluepower refuse truck that we’ve sourced from market-leaders Enginius.
“Significantly, the training that we’ll deliver via this new workshop segues nicely with the electric vehicle programmes that we already offer, ensuring that we’re addressing the whole hybrid vehicle sector, heavy and light vehicles.
“This will provide a major pipeline for jobs for young people and for upskilling the automotive workforce in the region”
The college has a long-history of partnering with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) to develop industry-appropriate courses for its learners, with this collaboration continuing at the new hydrogen facility for the delivery of the IMI Level 1 hydrogen awareness qualification.
Azlina Bulmer, managing director at the IMI, said: “It’s critical that those working in the sector gain the knowledge to work with this alternative fuel source safely and we are delighted to support the delivery of the IMI Level 1 hydrogen qualification as part of the College’s curriculum.”
Beyond the new facility’s use as a teaching environment, SCCB plans to use the workshop and truck as a research and development facility with plans afoot for a Level 4 course focused on diagnosing faults on vehicles with live hydrogen, instead of simulating those faults.
SCCB’s hydrogen training facility is located at the college’s Bordesley Green Campus.
