The development of Energy Central in Blyth, Northumberland – a partnership between Advance Northumberland, Port of Blyth, Northumberland County Council and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult – shows no sign of stopping.
Energy Central is a premier UK deep water base for businesses working across renewable energy, offshore wind, subsea engineering, decommissioning, battery manufacturing and energy storage.
And it’s playing a key role in attracting offshore wind investment to Northumberland.
For instance, in September JDR Cables announced plans to build a £130 million manufacturing facility at Northumberland Energy Park Phase 1, which is part of Energy Central. It will create 170 new jobs and when complete, will be the only facility in the UK capable of producing high voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms from start to finish.
In addition, Port of Blyth was recently selected by Seaway 7 as the location for the storage and mobilisation of inter-array cable for the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm.
However, as Northumberland’s offshore wind offering grows, so does the need to develop the skills which will support the sector… and provide opportunities for our young people to be part of an industry which is shaping their region’s economic and environmental future.
Bringing through a new generation of engineers, manufacturing specialists, R&D personnel and leaders in offshore renewables is crucial in helping the UK achieve Net Zero by 2050.
And businesses will need to draw on and nurture local talent as they power ahead at Energy Central.
So how can this be achieved?
A good place to begin is with the DWP’s Kickstart Scheme, which provides local employers the opportunity to offer young people a 6-month job placement in their business, funded by the Government.
Employers can only register as Kickstart Employers until 17th December this year, but employees can start a new six month position up to the end of March 2022.
The North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) is acting as a Gateway to help local employers establish these placements for young people and the scheme provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit.
Employers can offer any number of placements for their organisation, based on the number of existing employees, and each placement will be fully funded for 25 hours per week.
Employers will receive funding to cover 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage, depending on the age of the participant), as well as funding to cover National Insurance and automatic enrolment contributions.
The scheme gives businesses the opportunity to strengthen their workforces, supports them in fulfilling CSR targets, and gives them the chance to make a real difference to young people’s lives.
Our team will be highlighting the Kickstart scheme at Offshore Wind North East, from December 1 -2 at the Beacon Of Light in Sunderland.
The Kickstart scheme – building offshore energy careers in Northumberland
The Kickstart scheme is already having an impact on at Energy Central.
Five young people are currently employed through the Kickstart scheme at the ORE Catapult.
And where better to start a career in the offshore wind sector than the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy?
The Kickstart employees can experience the ORE Catapult’s wind turbine blade and power train testing facilities, its open access offshore anemometry platform – the National Offshore Anemometry Hub (NOAH) and the world class expertise that forms the bedrock of the centre’s success.
For the ORE Catapult, the scheme has provided additional staff resource, and enabled it to develop talent from within 30 minutes’ of the Blyth site.
It’s a win win.
And for Graham Campbell, Head of Assets & Projects (Operations) at ORE Catapult, the Kickstart scheme is “a great initiative in providing an alternative means by which more young people can gain valuable experience and exposure to a busy working environment.”
Port of Blyth has also benefited from the scheme.
Three young people started in the scheme in April 2021 at the port – and each completed their six-month placements. Since then, one Kickstart employee has been offered full-time employment with the port, one has started as an apprentice, and the other has been taken on by a different company.
Port of Blyth has also employed two more young people who were employed through the Kickstart scheme at another organisation, with Paul Parry, Business Development Manager at Port of Blyth, stating that Kickstart “is a great scheme for bringing new talent to the industry.”
And we’re urging more Northumberland-based employers to take advantage of the scheme…
Time is running out to register as a Kickstart Employer
The 17th December deadline is fast approaching.
But the Advance Northumberland team is here to provide support and advice.
You can visit our stand (XXX) at Offshore Wind North East on December 1 and December 2, to find out more about the Kickstart scheme, and Graeme Blyth / I, Employer Engagement Coordinator at Advance Northumberland, will also be presenting on the Kickstart scheme – and its impact on the offshore wind sector – at the event at the Beacon Of Light.
You can also call Graeme Blyth /me on 07802 538163 or email graeme.blyth@advancenorthumberland.co.uk for more information.
More information on Offshore Wind North East is here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/offshore-wind-north-east-2021-owne-tickets-139460878241