Regional skills push gains momentum
Plans for a new Centre for Net Zero at Dumfries and Galloway College have been invited to progress to the next stage of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, marking a significant milestone in efforts to expand training in low‑carbon technologies across the South of Scotland. The proposal is one of three skills and innovation projects selected to move forward within the Deal’s Supporting Business, Innovation and Skills theme.
The Dumfries-based centre is designed to bolster the region’s capacity to train people for jobs in the transition to a low‑carbon economy. Central to the concept is a flexible, mobile training model that can deliver accredited qualifications directly to communities, addressing the well-documented challenge of access in a predominantly rural area.
What the Centre for Net Zero would do
College leaders and partners envisage a facility that supports learning in green skills, from renewable energy and energy efficiency to low‑carbon construction methods. While precise course content and delivery timetables will be developed through the business case process, the intention is to enable learners and employers across Dumfries and Galloway to access training that reflects rapidly changing industry needs.
- Support the regional workforce to adapt to net zero requirements
- Offer industry‑relevant qualifications for learners and employees
- Use mobile provision to reach remote and rural communities
Local political leaders have welcomed the step, highlighting the importance of taking accredited learning to where people live and work, rather than requiring lengthy travel to central campuses.
Part of a wider skills package
The Net Zero centre sits within the South of Scotland Skills programme, a strand of the Borderlands Deal aimed at aligning skills provision with future workforce demand. Alongside the Dumfries project, two further bids hosted by Borders College in Galashiels have been asked to proceed:
| Project | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Centre for Net Zero | Dumfries and Galloway College | Training in green skills and low‑carbon technologies, delivered on campus and through a mobile model |
| Human Health Innovation Lab | Borders College, Galashiels | Expanded health training up to SCQF Level 9, developed with NHS Borders, Edinburgh Napier University and private providers |
| Housing and Net Zero Accelerator Hub | Borders College, Galashiels | Skills and upskilling for sustainable construction and renewable technologies across the construction sector |
Together, the three proposals are intended to support employers’ ability to recruit and retain people with the right competencies, and to give learners locally relevant pathways into well‑paid, future‑proof roles.
What the approval means
Being invited to the next stage does not in itself unlock funding. Under Borderlands governance, each proposal must complete an Outline Business Case followed by a Full Business Case before investment decisions are confirmed. Those stages require detailed evidence on need, options appraisal, costs, benefits, delivery plans and risk management, as well as demonstration of value for money.
This staged process is designed to ensure new provision complements existing college and university courses, avoids duplication, and is capable of being delivered on time and within budget. It also enables closer work with employers, public bodies and community groups to refine how training is delivered and accessed.
Why this matters for Dumfries and Galloway
For a region characterised by rurality, transport distances and dispersed communities can be a barrier to education and training. A mobile model, built into the Dumfries and Galloway College proposal, is intended to take learning to outlying towns and villages, potentially reducing travel costs for learners and improving take‑up among those balancing work and caring responsibilities.
If delivered, the centre could support local firms seeking to decarbonise operations and comply with tightening environmental standards, while also equipping young people and career‑changers with skills that are increasingly in demand. The focus on accredited qualifications is particularly significant, offering recognisable credentials that help people progress in employment.
Next steps
Project teams will now prepare the Outline Business Case, setting out the preferred delivery model, anticipated learner numbers, partnerships and implementation timetable. Only once the Full Business Case is approved will funding be confirmed and construction or procurement begin.
Regional stakeholders have framed this as part of a broader transition in how the South of Scotland approaches skills: more collaborative, more targeted and more flexible. As those cases are developed, the key tests will be whether the proposals can reach people in the hardest‑to‑serve communities and respond quickly to changing employer demand across the net zero economy.
