Prime minister Gordon Brown has officially opened British Gas's new Energy Academy in Leicester.

The facility, which will help trainees into energy jobs, is one of five similar sites around the country, which together form the British Gas Energy Academy.

Mr Brown congratulated the first intake of students at the centre, saying that they had done "extremely well" to gain places on the training programme".

"By learning to install the technologies of the future, you will be playing your part in helping the UK tackle climate change," he commented.

British Gas managing director Phil Bentley said that the academy was an example of the company investing in "the engineers, the skills and the technologies of the future".

The Centrica-owned company announced yesterday (July 1st) that it would create 2,600 new energy jobs by 2012 as homes are installed with smart meters.

As well as fitting the meters, new recruits will be expected to offer tailored advice to homeowners on ways to cut back on the amount of energy they use.