08 February 2012 11:02
Apprentice Energy Assessors hitting Coventry streets

A new community project providing jobs and training, whilst helping Coventry residents living in fuel poverty, kicks off this week.  The Apprentice Energy Assessors scheme is the latest project supporting E.ON's low carbon partnership with Coventry City Council.

E.ON is working with Coventry City Council, Elmfield Training and local environmental charity Groundwork on its Energy Assessors scheme, providing 15 apprenticeships to previously unemployed local people.  The programme will provide the apprentices the chance to develop valuable skills and knowledge while also helping local residents who may be living in fuel poverty.

The Energy Assessors have been recruited through the Route 2 Employment job creation scheme. It is hoped they will carry out more than 4,000 home assessments in the coming months, giving residents energy efficiency advice and directing them to a range of resources to help them improve the energy efficiency of their home and cut energy bills.

As part of the assessment scheme, E.ON energy customers will be assessed to see if they're eligible for a Warm Home Discount rebate, which gives those at risk of and those suffering from fuel poverty help towards their energy bills.

The project builds on the successful Community Energy Fit scheme, run by E.ON, charity National Energy Action (NEA,) and Coventry City Council, in Coventry which is actively recruiting and training volunteer Community Energy Champions through local job creation schemes, which will advise and assist people with home energy saving.

Michael Woodhead, Managing Director of E.ON's Sustainable Energy business, said: "In these difficult times, it's essential that companies, councils and the community come together to help tackle people's concerns about energy head-on and face-to-face.

"We're pleased to be working with like-minded partners in Coventry who can help us deliver this as part of our partnership with the city."

Councillor Linda Bigham, cabinet member for City Development at Coventry City Council, said: "This is a hugely significant scheme for Coventry and it's one that will raise the quality of life for local people by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, reducing fuel bills, tackling fuel poverty and helping the environment.

"The creation of these new apprenticeships shows that the Council and local business are serious about creating job opportunities for local people as well as growing the low carbon economy for the city."

Anne Cranston, Director of Communities, Health & Wellbeing for Groundwork West Midlands, said: "At Groundwork West Midlands we're really excited that the Community Energy Assessors' project not only helps people get back into work but also provides a real service to local residents."

Anyone who'd like to arrange a free visit from one of the assessors should call 0800 028 6003.

E.ON is working with skills company Elmfield Training and five local authorities - Knowsley, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Birmingham and Coventry - to recruit and train 75 energy assessors to offer help and advice to those facing fuel poverty.

 

Ends

Notes to editors:

There are 7,036,863 fuel poor households in the UK (Source: CSE/Consumer Focus NowCast for fuel poverty 2011).

All Energy Assessors will wear Route to Employment uniforms and carry photo ID cards.

About E.ON:

• E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies;
• E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies, and has around 5 million electricity and gas customers, covering domestic, SME and industrial;
• E.ON has formed Sustainable City partnerships with a number of cities in the UK to help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions across entire communities whilst also stimulating local economies and jobs through energy efficiency measures and smart technologies.

About Groundwork:

• As a charity, Groundwork West Midlands works alongside local communities, public bodies, private companies and other voluntary sector organisations to support communities in need;
• Groundwork has over 20 years experience of delivering bespoke projects that use the environment as a catalyst for building a more sustainable future. Every year it delivers hundreds of projects across the West Midlands, helping improve the quality of people's lives, their prospects, potential and the places where they live, work and play. For more information visit www.groundwork.org.uk/wm.

About Elmfield Training:

• Elmfield Training is a talent development organisation working with some of the UK's largest employers;  
• Elmfield understands the negative impact on individuals and families resulting from the lack of job sustainability and how difficult it can be to progress to better paid jobs without the right qualifications;
• Elmfield supports career mobility by offering a range of apprenticeships and higher level qualifications created to suit a range of industries.

About NEA:

• NEA is the UK's leading fuel poverty charity campaigning for affordable warmth in the homes of vulnerable people. For further details visit http://www.nea.org.uk/
• A fuel-poor household is defined as one needing to spend more than 10% of household income to achieve a satisfactory and healthy heating regime.

For more information contact:

Victoria Blake on 02476 181304 or victoria.blake@eonenergy.com