Dumfries and Galloway could be in line for a multi-million pound green jobs boost, if MSP Finlay Carson can persuade politicians to choose the region.
Plans have been announced to create a Green Jobs Workforce Academy in a bid to help Scotland bounce back from the pandemic.
Scots finance secretary Kate Forbes has pledged funding to create new employment opportunities within the green sector.
And now Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Finlay Carson, is planning to convince the Scottish Government to house the ambitious project in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries believes the region’s long-standing history in renewable energy should make it a front-runner for this new investment.
He said: “Given our involvement in renewable energy over a long number of years it makes sense to house the academy in Dumfries and Galloway.
“I can honestly think of no better place than to bring it here.
“What a wonderful opportunity this would be for the region to showcase its talents to a wide audience.
“There are vast forests here which could be put to good use and further strengthen our case for encouraging this welcome investment to be brought here.”
Mr Carson insists the green energy hub created at Dumfries and Galloway College is another added advantage for the region’s case.
He added: “The hub already features a range of green technologies, including a wind turbine, heat pumps, solar arrays and battery storage for power and heating.
“There has been enormous interest shown already from young people wanting to work in the green sector and this has to be encouraged further.
“We have a great pool of talent just waiting to be given the chance to shine and I think attracting the academy to Dumfries and Galloway would be an amazing feat.”
The aim of the new academy is to create a workforce to secure low carbon jobs.
Thousands of new posts are expected to be created in Scotland in the near future as a result of the expected boom in offshore wind projects.
Scottish Renewables believes there is a growing need to provide the skills Scotland needs to fight climate change as well as cash in on the social and economic benefits that will follow.
