Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin visited Forth Valley College’s Falkirk Campus on Tuesday 26 August.
During her visit, Ms Martin engaged with apprentices from several of the College’s employer partners including Celtic Renewables, Petrofac, and Wood Group PSN, as the new academic session for 2025/26 got underway.
She also announced additional support for workers at INEOS O&P directly impacted by the cessation of refining at Grangemouth. FVC Principal Kenny MacInnes and Caroline Hogg, Head of Apprenticeships, welcomed the Cabinet Secretary to the College at 1pm.
After a short introductory meeting in the Steeple Suite, the Cabinet Secretary was given a short tour of the £78 million Falkirk Campus, which was completed in 2020.
During the tour Ms Martin was introduced to lecturers Eric Hamilton and Lauren Colley, who showed her round the Control Room, Training Rig and Distillation Plant.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin, said: “Forth Valley College is a leading example of the valuable partnerships between education, business and government that are essential across Scotland on our journey to net zero. The College has been a vital partner in supporting the existing and future workforce at the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster.
“I was delighted to meet the new cohort of apprentices and see the state of the art facilities they are learning in which will prepare this future workforce for careers in sustainable energy and manufacturing industries.”
FVC Principal, Kenny MacInnes, said: “This was an excellent opportunity to show the Cabinet Secretary how we are making learning work for our students, staff and our local community.
“These are challenging times for the College sector across Scotland, but we are confident that during our meeting we demonstrated Forth Valley College’s contribution to a more positive future for the country as a whole - particularly in supporting the just transition to a net zero economy.
“Through our work with emerging sectors and industries, and our commitment to sustainable, renewable technologies, we are helping to equip learners with the skills needed for Scotland’s green workforce of the future.”
