Member Article

Job Prospects at Energy Base for Newcastle Students

Newcastle College students find themselves in a strong position for future career prospects following the announcement that a new wind farm operations base is to be opened at Port of Tyne.

The world’s biggest wind farm Dogger Bank will be capable of powering 4.5 million homes and its brand new operations and maintenance base will create 200 jobs for the region when it opens in 2022.

Those enrolling onto a two-year Subsea and Renewable Energy Technologies course at Newcastle College in September will qualify just in time for the base opening.

Developed with expertise from local offshore and energy employers, the course is delivered in partnership with Port Training Services (PTS) and was designed to create pathways directly into the region’s large offshore energy sector, preparing students for careers as subsea engineers and wind turbine technicians.

“News of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm base arriving on Tyneside couldn’t come at a better time for the region,” says Andrew Esson, Director of Industrial Strategy at Newcastle College.

“The North East has long been a hub for the UK’s offshore industry and it is a sector which will only continue to grow, even during economic uncertainty. The jobs that the base and the wind farm creates will require the right skills and Newcastle College is in a unique position to provide that skills training.”

Newcastle College has been at the forefront of training for the region’s energy sector since it opened its award-winning Energy Academy in 2012. Based in Wallsend, it is home to the world’s most advanced Immersive Hybrid Reality (iHR) offshore wind training facility. The Academy trains the next generation of offshore and subsea industry engineers, offering courses and apprenticeships from Level 3 up to foundation degree level, as well as bespoke training for local employers.

Its collaboration with Port of Blyth and its training arm PTS is one which ensures that the training on offer is right for the industry, as well as the students enrolling. The partnership was formed to develop new training routes, but it also allows students on any of the College’s energy focused courses the unique opportunity to benefit from the training facilities at both sites.

“There lots of opportunities for the sector to grow,” continues Andrew. “Last year’s Wind Sector Deal seen the government announce a forecast of 17,000 new energy sector jobs by 2030. Many of those have been earmarked for the North East and Dogger Bank is just the beginning.

“Our aim is to ensure that those jobs stay in the North East, by training work-ready engineers with the right skills and experience. Our partnerships and our facilities are at the centre of that and they allow us to identify skills shortages in the sector so that we can shape the training that we offer to ensure it meets the needs of industry and puts our students in the best position possible.

“The courses that we are developing are offering people in our region real career opportunities and it’s exciting to see those opportunities emerging.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Charlotte Horsfield .