Skills scholarship to help drive energy transition

A new £1 million training programme is set to equip the next generation with essential skills for Tees Valley’s booming low-carbon energy sector.

The Tees Valley Net Zero Industry Scholarship, backed by Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), will train individuals in key industrial roles, including welding, instrumentation, pipefitting, electrical engineering and civil operations, with officials saying the scholarship will help “drive the energy transition” and “give people the training and support they need to secure well-paid, high-quality jobs right here on their doorstep”.

Training will be delivered through regional education providers, including the Education Training Collective, Middlesbrough College, Hartlepool College of Further Education and Darlington College, in collaboration with Teesworks Skills Academy, with 141 places available.

Participants will receive £100 per week during term time while training for up to two years, ensuring financial support as they prepare for careers in carbon capture, hydrogen production and offshore wind. 

The scholarship has been financially supported by two flagship energy projects that are being built on Teesside.

Construction work on Net Zero Teesside Power – a world-first gas-fired power station with carbon capture – will commence from mid-year, with NEP building the CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure to serve the power station and future carbon capture projects in the region. 

Mark Lewis, NZT Power and NEP construction manager, said: “Construction of Net Zero Teesside Power and the NEP will require thousands of skilled workers.

“Along with our construction partner Balfour Beatty, we have worked closely with local colleges across the Tees Valley to design a Net Zero Industry Scholarship which will equip people from the region with the skills needed to secure the roles that are urgently required to drive the energy transition.” 

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen added: “This is another fantastic step in ensuring that local people have the skills they need to take advantage of the huge opportunities being created at Teesworks and across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.

“With billions of pounds of investment coming into our clean energy industry, we need a workforce that is ready to meet demand. 

“This scholarship will give people the training and support they need to secure well-paid, high-quality jobs right here on their doorstep.”

Applications are now open through local colleges and training providers, helping to bridge the skills gap in one of the UK’s fastest-growing green industries. For more information, see here.

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