A new energy skills centre will be officially opened next month.
The new Energy Skills Centre at East Coast College will help the region stay at the forefront of the UK’s growing energy and engineering industries.
Based at the Lowestoft campus of East Coast College, the state-of-the-art centre will become home to the innovative East Coast Energy Training Academy.
The new centre, supported by £10m from New Anglia LEP’s Growth Deal with Government, will combine cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities to support the development of higher-level technical skills and expertise in the energy, maritime and engineering sectors.
As a regional centre of excellence – with national and international specialisms – it will support the development of higher-level technical skills and professional expertise, specifically in the energy, engineering, maritime and offshore industries.
The academy will work with regional and specialist employers to ensure a pipeline of highly skilled workers to meet both existing industry demands and respond to the new large scale investments planned in wind and nuclear energy.
Stuart Rimmer, chief executive of East Coast College, said: “We are extremely pleased and excited to be opening our new energy skills centre, which alongside our offshore wind skills centre demonstrates our commitment to providing this much needed provision which would not be possible with the support and finance provided from of our key partners.”
Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia LEP, said: “Our east coast energy cluster is world class and the potential, especially for our renewable clean energy resource, is vast. but to harness that potential, we need to ensure the industry has the skilled workforce it needs, and this facility promises to do just that.”
Minister of State for Local Growth, the Rt Hon Jake Berry MP, said: “We’re boosting economic growth across the whole of the UK through levelling up our regions, ensuring that they have the investment and support they need to flourish as we leave the EU.
“I’m proud that our £10m investment from the Government’s Local Growth Fund is supporting a new state-of-the-art Energy Skills Centre at East Coast College. The Centre will enable local people to access the technical skills and training to compete and succeed in the globally competitive energy sector.”
The energy skills centre’s grand opening will take place on November 12.
