Marvin OnumonuCentrica is set to open a new £35m net zero training academy and energy transition lab in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, in May 2026.
The site will train thousands of engineers every year in skills like installing heat pumps, EV chargers, solar panels and battery storage.
The company, which owns British Gas, Hive and Bord Gais Energy, sees this as an investment in the skills of its 7,000 engineers and a step towards creating more green jobs in the UK and Ireland.
Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, said: “We’re committed to hiring a new apprentice for every day of this decade and our new academy will help us meet that ambition whilst also supporting the drive to diversify the UK’s engineering workforce, and our research labs will drive the innovation necessary to make sure we deliver a just transition which leaves no-one behind.”
The academy will include a full-size eco house to show how the different skills of Centrica’s engineers come together to deliver future-ready homes.
There will also be a net zero lab for testing heating technologies, a diagnostic and innovation lab for business support and tool development, a smart testing lab for smart meter technology, a controls lab for commercial energy systems, and a hive lab for developing and testing Hive Home products including EV chargers.
O’Shea added: “Creating the well paid, unionised jobs needed to drive the energy transition is one of the biggest tasks facing the energy industry today.
“Our state of the art facility in Lutterworth will set a new benchmark for industry training, providing our engineers with the skills and confidence to deliver the first-class service our customers rightly expect and with more engineers trained in green skills, our energy transition will be more achievable.
“We already have four award winning academies in Dartford, Hamilton, Leicester and Thatcham and since 2021, we’ve welcomed over 1,700 new apprentices.”
He said: “We’re committed to hiring a new apprentice for every day of this decade and our new academy will help us meet that ambition whilst also supporting the drive to diversify the UK’s engineering workforce, and our research labs will drive the innovation necessary to make sure we deliver a just transition which leaves no-one behind.”
Minister for Industry Chris McDonald, said: “The clean energy economy is sparking a boom in demand for skills across the UK – with trained engineers particularly in demand – and for the first time we have published a comprehensive national plan to train up the next generation of clean energy workers.
“To deliver this we need to work across government and industry, and Centrica’s new training facility will help support new jobs and equip thousands of engineers with the skills they need to help deliver our clean energy mission.”
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, said: “I am really pleased to welcome Centrica’s £35m Net Zero Training Academy to Lutterworth.
“This is all about developing the relevant skills of the future and fostering innovation. This state-of-the-art facility will empower thousands of engineers with essential green skills.
“It’s a great example of industry leading the way in sustainable innovation right here in South Leicestershire.”
The new academy will officially open in May 2026, integrating the existing Leicester academy into the new facility.
The site will be 40% larger than the current Leicester academy, allowing for more training capacity.
