‘State-of-the-art’ NETA facility opens in Thornaby

A £14.7 million engineering training centre on Teesside is preparing to welcome its first students following the completion of construction work.

NETA Training has received the keys to its new facility on Princeton Drive in Thornaby, marking a significant milestone ahead of students and delegates arriving in the coming weeks.

Located next to Stockton Riverside College, the centre will provide vocational engineering training across welding, fabrication, electrical and mechanical skills, pipefitting and domestic and commercial gas.

NETA director Karl Johnson said: “It is incredible to see the building complete and finally be able to make preparations for the start of the exciting transition of NETA staff, delegates and learners from our Pennine Avenue site.

“Now we get to make the building our own, bringing NETA’s unique character and history to the purpose-built centre in Thornaby.

“After years in the planning and months in development, we can’t wait to see delegates, apprentices, students and employers reaping the benefits of training environments planned, designed and built to equip them or their workforces with the knowledge and practical capabilities to meet the skill demands that will drive our economy.”

The development has received £4.57 million through the Thornaby Town Deal and has been delivered in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

Government support and funding was also secured from the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Councillor Paul Rowling, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s cabinet member for resources and regeneration, added: “We’re proud to be part of a partnership which will see this new state-of-the-art facility bring a whole host of benefits to Thornaby along with the wider Borough.

“The NETA development will play a pivotal role in bringing further investment and equip people with engineering and construction skills to help find meaningful, quality employment.

“It is sure to create transformational change in the town and I am looking forward to seeing students and employers benefit from this investment for many years to come.”

Part of the Education Training Collective, NETA works with employers to upskill their workforces while providing training for individuals looking to develop industry skills.

The new Thornaby centre joins its existing facilities in Stockton and Redcar and will support the group’s growing focus on clean energy skills.

Built by Britcon, the NETA development, which forms part of wider investment through the Thornaby Town Deal, is a flagship regional project for the construction company and was shortlisted for Construction Project of the Year at the 2026 Procure Partnerships Framework National Project Excellence Awards.

Receiving the keys from Britcon on behalf of NETA, Mark White CBE DL, chair of the Thornaby Town Deal Board and chair of Stockton-on-Tees Strategic Education Board, added: “I am delighted that this £4.57 million investment, with support from the Thornaby Town Deal Board, allows the existing and upcoming workforce across the Tees Valley to benefit with modern, industry-standard facilities.

“It is even more significant that this top-class facility is located in the heart of Thornaby-on-Tees and I am very excited to see this important project bring long-term economic growth to the area.”

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