NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF TEES VALLEY COMBINED AUTHORITY
A £1million training programme has been launched providing opportunities to gain essential skills needed for the region’s rapidly expanding low-carbon energy sector.
Applications are now open for The Tees Valley Net Zero Industry Scholarship which aims to train a new generation of skilled workers in key industrial roles crucial to the success of Tees Valley’s net-zero ambitions.
Financially supported by Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership, the scholarship will equip successful applicants with expertise in welding, instrumentation, pipefitting, electrical engineering, and civil operations.
Training will be delivered through local education providers, including Education Training Collective (Etc.) – Redcar and Cleveland College and NETA, Middlesbrough College, Hartlepool College of Further Education and Darlington College, in collaboration with Teesworks Skills Academy.
The scholarship is open to individuals aged 16 and above, ensuring that young people, career changers, and those looking to upskill have access to top-tier industry training.
With 141 scholarship places available, participants will receive £100 per week in term time during their training, which can last up to two years, helping to support them financially as they develop the skills required to thrive in the clean energy sector.
The scholarship has been financially supported by two flagship energy projects which will be built on Teesside.
Construction work on Net Zero Teesside Power – a world-first gas-fired power station with carbon capture – will commence from mid-year, with NEP building the CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure to serve the power station and future carbon capture projects in the region.
Mark Lewis, NZT Power and NEP construction manager, said: “Construction of Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership will require thousands of skilled workers.
“Along with our construction partner Balfour Beatty, we have worked closely with local colleges across the Tees Valley to design a Net Zero Industry Scholarship which will equip people from the region with the skills needed to secure the roles that are urgently required to drive the energy transition”.
Zoe Lewis, CEO and principal of Middlesbrough College Group, said: “We are thrilled to be part of this important new scheme which will help to foster vital skills in this fast-growing sector.
“We have been working with companies in the renewable and low-carbon energy sector for a number of years on a wide range of apprenticeship and training schemes and we are looking forward to playing our part in this latest pioneering programme.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen welcomed the launch of the scholarship.
He said: “This is another fantastic step in ensuring that local people have the skills they need to take advantage of the huge opportunities being created at Teesworks and across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
“With billions of pounds of investment coming into our clean energy industry, we need a workforce that is ready to meet demand. The Tees Valley Industry Scholarship will give people the training and support they need to secure well-paid, high-quality jobs right here on their doorstep.”
The low-carbon sector in Tees Valley is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth, with major projects in carbon capture, hydrogen production, and offshore wind requiring a skilled workforce to drive progress.
The scholarship is designed to bridge the skills gap, providing individuals with hands-on training and industry-recognised qualifications that will enable them to secure employment in these cutting-edge sectors.
Applications for the Tees Valley Industry Scholarship are now open. Interested individuals can apply through the participating colleges and training providers.
For more information on the scholarship, training providers and to apply, visit the Tees Valley Net Zero Scholarship webpage.
