YORK College has received £150,000 to boost skills training in electric vehicle technologies.

The funding will be used to extend workshop space and technologies, helping to address a skills shortage around low carbon electric vehicle maintenance.

Louise Doswell, deputy chief executive and principal (Partnerships and Development), said the £150,000 had enabled the college to accelerate its capital investment plans to start delivering training from 2021 with newly-installed technologies.

She said it would also enable small and medium-sized independent garages to access local training opportunities.

"These developments will also enable access to emerging technological training for new entrants (16 to 19 -year olds) that will enable young people to enter the jobs market with advanced skills and improve employment opportunities."

York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership secured the funds from Government’s Getting Building Fund.

Scarborough TEC will also receive £92,620 investment for their electric and green skills project.

This will support the purchase of electric vehicle / training equipment to enable low carbon motor vehicle maintenance courses.

Charging bays will also be installed in the college’s Automotive, Construction and Engineering Centre, which was also part-funded with money secured by the York & North Yorkshire LEP and opened in June 2019, to promote green transport education and training and employability.

In addition, the project will provide new engineering technologies, to introduce hybrid/electric transport courses.

Ann Hardy, principal of Scarborough TEC, said: "The electric vehicles will be a fantastic addition to the resources at Scarborough TEC.

"The vehicles will provide the latest in electric vehicle technology to help us train the future professionals of the industry in preparation for changes in the motor industry to meet environmental needs."

Sam Alexander, chair of the York & North Yorkshire LEP Skills and Employability Board, which endorsed funding for both colleges, said: “The projects at York College and Scarborough TEC both offer fantastic opportunities for young people.

"Both are addressing a skills shortage in our region around low carbon electric vehicle maintenance, which is an important, developing, sector. We are pleased to endorse both projects, which align so closely with the LEP’s good growth ambitions, and our vision for a greener, fairer, stronger economy.”

Ten projects in York & North Yorkshire had £15.4m of investment agreed in principle in August to receive Getting Building Fund money. Final funding decisions are due to be completed by the LEP before the end of 2020.