Lincoln College Group Showcases Future of Innovation and Tech at LEP Conference

Tech, innovation, employability and skills were the focus for the Lincoln College Group as part of today’s FE Zone at the LEP Conference 2024.

The annual conference, which took place at the Lincolnshire Showground, was this year themed around ‘Innovation for Growth’ and saw the launch of an Innovation Route Map, which brings together the worlds of business education to find opportunities for the region to thrive.

Opening the conference, Greater Lincolnshire LEP Chief Executive, Ruth Carver, said: “We’ve brought this conference to you for ten years now, working together for economic growth. It’s always been important to have one voice together for the regional economy.

“We’ve advocated for so many projects, including the Food Valley and launchpad programme testing, as well as connecting businesses with schools and colleges. This has also resulted in us being able to bring local ambassadors forward to make businesses aware of the talent and skills on our doorstep.”

The College’s Air & Space Institute (ASI) and Retrofit representatives were on hand at the Conference to engage with employers in the innovation & tech themed Demonstration Arena, showcasing the variety of qualifications available in travel, tourism, aerospace, sustainable construction and more.

Director of Business Development & Partnerships , Mark Taylor, said: “It was great to be part of the broader FE representation of skills and expertise in our sector. I was glad to see that the keynote speeches being delivered on stage reflected our ambitions as a College and we are keen to be part of the innovation that will be part of the future of education.”

Retrofit is a series of courses that the College offers which ensures that students are familiar with the requirements and theoretical knowledge required for the future of sustainable and environmentally friendly construction. Formed together with The Retrofit Academy CIC, it meets the standards laid out by the PAS 2035, a new British standard that creates a recognisable quality standard for the retrofit and energy efficiency sector for housing.

The Retrofit team demonstrated a virtual home VR setup, where students can experience how to seek out ways to improve a living space through retrofitting.

All projects funded by the Warm Home: Social Housing Fund, Energy Company Obligation or Local Authority Delivery Scheme will be required to comply with the standard. Lincoln College offers Diplomas at Levels 2,3,4 and 5, covering Assessment, Coordination and Risk Management.

Mel Gilbert, Learning Designer at Retrofit, said: “Our VR setup that we’re showing today is part of the Retrofit course, it gives an in-depth look into online learning in a practical way. It allows students to get a sense of the job in a practical and engaging way."

To find out more about the LEP, visit the website: www.greaterlincolnshirelep.co.uk

To learn more about the courses that The Lincoln College Group offer, visit www.lincolncollege.ac.uk