This week, Apex Training has launched its comprehensive and flexible green skills programme at Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre at the BE-ST Innovation Campus in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Apex Training, powered by Fedcap’s The Verdancy Group, delivers flexible, industry-led green skills training across the UK, with courses designed and taught by experts actively working in the sector today.
By co-locating at the BE-ST Campus, Apex Training will enable individuals to gain industry-recognised credentials and practical experience, supporting entry into high-demand roles across the UK’s growing green economy utilising Scotland’s national innovation centre for the built environment.
“We’re delighted to have begun delivering our sustainable green skills jobs programmes from Scotland’s state-of-the-art facility in Hamilton. The building itself has undergone a full retrofit, making it the ideal place to base our operations.
“By choosing the BE-ST Innovation Campus as our home, we will remain at the forefront of low-carbon construction, digital innovation, and retrofit best practice – ensuring our learners receive best-in-class green skills training.”
From barriered communities to better‑paid careers
The programme is designed as a bridge from lower‑paid roles into in‑demand technical jobs. Christine McMahon, President and CEO of Fedcap, has already seen the impact at the organisation’s English hub:
“Following the launch of our Apex Training Centre in Basingstoke in early 2025, we are already seeing clear results – graduates of our solar installation programme are earning, on average, 20% more in entry-level solar roofing roles than in comparable warehouse positions.
“We project the same at the BE-ST location. This programme delivers tangible economic mobility for individuals from barriered communities. We are thrilled to partner with Scottish leaders to bring our proven, industry-aligned green skills programmes to scale, supporting the workforce needed to advance Scotland’s decarbonisation goals while expanding access to higher-paying careers.”
For high‑growth firms in construction and retrofit, that translates into a pipeline of job‑ready talent in areas where recruitment has been a persistent bottleneck.
Courses mapped to real market need
The initial course list is closely aligned with retrofit demand:
- Pathways to Net Zero
- Award in Understanding Damp and Mould
- NOCN Level 2 Understanding Domestic Retrofit
- SCQF Award in Understanding Domestic Retrofit
- Introduction to Airtightness and Ventilation
- Award in Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings
These programmes target everyday challenges in Scotland’s built environment: damp and mould in under‑insulated homes, the complexity of upgrading older and traditional buildings, and the balance between airtightness and healthy ventilation. Training inside a fully retrofitted, state‑of‑the‑art facility gives learners a realistic environment and lets employers tap into candidates who have already worked with the practices and technologies they will encounter on site.
A cluster for green growth
The launch strengthens the BE‑ST Innovation Campus’s position as a focal point for Scotland’s construction and retrofit ecosystem. As the national innovation centre for construction and the built environment, BE‑ST brings together industry, academia and the public sector around zero‑carbon and productivity challenges.
Stephen Good, CEO of BE-ST, said: “We are excited to welcome The Verdancy Group, one of Scotland’s most innovative low carbon training providers, as our new partners and tenants on campus. We look forward to collaborating to expand support to those across the sector looking to upskill over the next few years.”
The Verdancy Group joined the not-for-profit organisation Fedcap last year and is expanding and strengthening its training offer through its Apex Training brand, drawing on the expertise of Fedcap’s Apex Technical School, a leading US vocational training institution with more than 60 years of experience. Apex Training is The Verdancy Group’s training arm, helping expand and strengthen its training provision across the UK, addressing the UK’s critical green skills gap and enabling individuals to access sustainable, high-quality careers.
For Scotland’s high‑growth agenda, the message is clear: by anchoring an industry‑led green skills programme at the National Retrofit Centre, Apex and its partners are helping to build the workforce that will turn climate targets into commercial reality.
