Building Heroes

26 March 2025

New College Durham, through the North East Institute of Technology (NEIoT) has been working with Building Heroes to prepare ex-service personnel from the UK Armed Forces for a future career as Retrofit Assessors.

Retrofitting buildings involves installing upgrades to make them more energy efficient, environmentally friendly, healthier and cheaper to live in. It is a subject at the forefront of the UK’s mission to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The NEIoT Retrofit Assessor course involves instruction, tutoring, onsite training, and portfolio building.

Sharon Grant, Director of North East Institute of Technology, said, “We continue to be proud to be one of the first Institutes of Technology in the UK to address higher technical skills gaps in construction, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and digital.

Construction industry experts estimate that the retrofitting market could be worth between £3.5bn and £6.5bn over the next 25 years and the NEIoT aims to help train more workers to meet this surging demand.

Ashley Deane, Head of Construction, Automotive & Plumbing at New College Durham added: “A skills gap in the retrofitting industry highlighted via our NEIoT Construction Employer Advisory Board and so, in collaboration with NEIoT education partners, we developed a hands-on, practical based, face to face courses to upskill and reskill people in this discipline. Not only will this be of benefit to the learners, but it will also help the region future-proof buildings, reduce carbon footprint, and create more energy-efficient and comfortable homes.”

Established in 2014, Building Heroes is dedicated to service leavers, veterans, reservists, and military families. They provide access to training and employment support as the trainees look towards a new career in construction. Participants are equipped with a broad range of trade skills and connected with a network of employers.

Richard H Tucker MBE, Chairman of Trustees, Building Heroes, said:

“Building Heroes is proud to be part of this unique collaboration, which brings together further education and some of the region’s leading employers. The course is designed to give trainees from a variety of backgrounds the skills they need to succeed.

Reducing our carbon footprint and delivering the highest standard of service are factors we should all aspire to. Working with NEIoT based here at the New College Durham campus has been a great experience for everyone involved and we look forward to seeing positive results for both our trainees and their local communities.”