The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Energy hub to offer training
BLYTH’S new Energy Central Hub has partnered up with a post-16 education provider ahead of its planned opening in September.
The training facility at the Port of Blyth will house a campus for Northumberland County Council’s Northumberland Skills.
Enrolment is now open to school leavers and those looking to retrain for its “advanced” manufacturing and renewable energy qualifications. A partnership with Bede Academy was announced last year, with Northumberland Skills’ training set to “complement” the existing learning offer.
The Energy Central Learning Hub is part of Energy Central Campus, a strategic partnership between Northumberland County Council, Port of Blyth, and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member with responsibility for Inspiring Young People, at Northumberland County Council said: “This is an incredible opportunity for people across Northumberland, and beyond, to seize the opportunity to follow a career in clean energy and engineering.
“There is no point in bringing the jobs of the future to Blyth if those jobs can’t be accessed by local people, which is why our training facilities are so important.”
Richard Waterston, sector specialist training centre manager at Northumberland Skills, said: “Our commitment goes beyond training – it’s about propelling individuals into quality, rewarding job opportunities and continued career development.”
The Energy Central Hub is the first phase of the Energy Central Campus project. Construction is expected to be completed in the autumn.
The second phase – the Energy Central Institute, will be located in the town centre. A planning application is yet to be submitted.
Coun Wojciech Ploszaj, cabinet member for business at the council, added: “This cutting-edge training and skills facility will be a thriving place of learning for our engineers of the future – especially within the clean energy space.” In July, the council purchased the Keel Row Shopping Centre from the Duke of Northumberland’s property company with plans to develop the site into education facilities including the Energy Central Institute.
There have been concerns that the closure of the shopping centre could turn Blyth into a “ghost town” if major retailers do not relocate elsewhere. This is despite the £90m Energising Blyth regeneration programme aimed at growing and renewing the town, which contains some of Northumberland’s most deprived wards.
The project, which includes the Energy Central Campus, is being delivered by Northumberland County Council and funded in partnership with the UK Government, Northumberland County Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority and support from other partners.