Columnist

Developing local talent for a thriving Teesside

For too long, Teesside was a place where ambition meant leaving. 

Generations of young people moved away in search of opportunity – not because they wanted to, but because they felt they had to. 

That is changing. 

Industrial investment, employer-led training and public/private partnerships are driving a new chapter for Teesside, one focused on reversing the region’s long-reported ‘brain drain’. 

At the centre of this transformation, and the heart of the UK’s first and largest freeport, is Teesworks. 

With 2725 jobs already created and many more on the way, Teesworks is laying the foundations for a skilled and successful local workforce.

At Teesworks, we believe in building a pipeline of local talent to power the region’s economic future.

The scale of this task is clear. 

Research by Atkins and Northern Powerhouse Partnership, which included Teesside, stated almost half of 16 to 21-year-olds in the North expect to leave their hometown for better employment opportunities. 

It’s a mindset Teesworks is determined to shift, to move the narrative from ‘leaving to succeed’ to ‘staying to succeed’.

And signs of change are already emerging.  

Teesworks is home to the world’s largest monopile manufacturing base, owned by SeAH Wind.

With construction complete and operations underway, SeAH Wind has recruited more than 250 staff to date as it heads towards a 750-strong workforce. 

ASCO, the operators of Steel River Quay, has a team comprised entirely of Tees Valley residents, with 20 jobs still to fill. 

Lasting success depends on aligning workforce skills with the needs of the sectors taking shape here, like clean energy, logistics and advanced manufacturing. 

That’s why Teesworks is collaborating with local employers, training providers and public sector partners to create tailored training programmes.  

A standout example is the 24-week welding course, delivered in partnership with Stockton-based training company Nordic Engineering and funded by Tees Valley Combined Authority through the Adult Skills Fund and Skills Bootcamps. 

From more than 700 applicants, 24 individuals from Teesside were selected to train in advanced MMA and MIG welding.  

Once accredited, they will work for SeAH Wind to continue their development. 

Every individual from the first cohort has now secured full-time employment with SeAH Wind.  

We’re also investing in early career development and vocational education. 

The Net Zero Scholarships, delivered in partnership with the Tees Valley Combined Authority, The Northern Endurance Partnership and local colleges, provide 141 placements in welding, electrical installation, instrumentation, pipefitting and civil engineering. 

Aimed at 16 to 18-year-olds, the programme provides opportunities and builds the skilled workforce needed to deliver the UK’s clean energy ambitions.  

Success for Teesworks isn’t just the number of jobs delivered, it’s about building confidence and securing futures.

And it’s about creating a self-sustaining workforce that will power Teesside’s local economy for decades to come.  

Neil Young is Teesside freeport skills and workforce development manager at Teesworks 

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