The TTE Technical Training Group has established a new relationship with the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) to help develop a skilled workforce for the offshore renewables industry.
From its industry-standard training facility in Middlesbrough, close to the offshore wind farm development locations in the North Sea including the upcoming Dogger Bank zone, TTE is delivering the GWO Basic Technical Training-Combined Standard.
With the UK offshore wind sector setting out a vision to create more than 27,000 skilled jobs by 2030, mainly in coastal areas, this programme has been developed in response to the demand for recognised basic levels of technical training in the industry.
The standard has been prepared in co-operation between the members of the GWO and will support the growth in the industry, which is targeting £48 billion worth of investment in UK infrastructure.
The standard provides skills and competencies in mechanical, electrical and hydraulic disciplines, which are focused on offshore wind operations in areas such as installation and Operations & Maintenance (O&M).
Each of the three modules are designed to provide offshore wind technicians with a foundation of industry-relevant skills and capabilities, which will support their progression towards a career in the sector.
Delivered across a four-day programme through a combination of classroom tuition and practical experience in one of TTE’s workshops, the standard is part of TTE’s portfolio of industry-focused technical training programmes that support careers in sectors such as oil & gas, engineering, process and manufacturing.
Its training centre, which operates to current industry working practices and standards of health & safety, features an extensive range of equipment and simulators.
Delegates on the programme also benefit from the expertise of TTE staff who also deliver skills, competencies and qualifications to technicians working for global companies such as BP and Atlantic Methanol.
With large cohorts of offshore technicians, both in the oil & gas and offshore renewables sectors, coming from the North East of England, TTE is ideally placed to provide industry-specific practical training to individuals close to home rather than travelling to locations such as Aberdeen.
The addition of the GWO programme to TTE’s portfolio, also supports the training of young people in Tees Valley. Through TTE’s charitable status, surpluses generated from its commercial activities are reinvested to enable the training of more local young people through study programmes, which can lead to employer-supported apprenticeships.
Steve Grant, Managing Director of TTE, said: “The offshore wind sector has emerged as a significant part of UK industry and requires an influx of skilled technicians to support its increasingly important role in the generation of renewable energy.
“The Tees Valley is ideally placed to provide the sector with talented and skilled people, particularly for current and future wind farms in the North Sea, as is TTE with its extensive experience in providing technicians and engineers from the UK and around the world with the skills, qualifications and competencies to effectively operate in offshore industries.”
