The Education Training Collective (Etc.) has been named a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College by the Department for Education today.

One of just five Clean Energy TECs announced nationally, it puts the Teesside college group, which incorporates Bede Sixth Form College, Innersummit, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College and Stockton Riverside College, at the forefront of clean energy and low carbon skills development.

This announcement is recognition of the group’s work to meet industry needs in the sector, tackle current and future worker shortages, and equip people with the skills to benefit from opportunities ahead.        

Grant Glendinning, Etc. Chief Executive Officer and Group Principal, said: “This is a fantastic acknowledgement of what has been a real targeted effort to prepare for the changes that are happening all around us, and ensure there is a pipeline of talent ready to meet demand.”

Central to all of this has been the development of the Clean Energy Education Hub at Redcar and Cleveland College, a £3.2m purpose-built industrial training facility, developed alongside employers, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, and made possible with Town Deal investment.

The Hub provides specialist facilities to support the likes of hydrogen, carbon capture usage and storage, electrical systems, and onshore/offshore wind training adding to core engineering construction disciplines such as electrical, mechanical, fabrication, welding and pipefitting.

Grant said: “By working closely with employers and industry leaders on such a forward-thinking project, this has established us as a training organisation which leads from the front and has been a catalyst for a host of further initiatives and ambitious developments.”

Working with bp, Redcar and Cleveland College delivered 40 Teesside Clean Energy Technician Scholarships to school-leavers. This formed the basis for the Tees Valley Net Zero Industry Scholarship, now being delivered at colleges and providers across the Tees Valley - all part of the Tees Valley Regional Skills Consortium. The scholarship is financially supported by Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership.

NETA opened the doors to its new £4.7m All Access Academy in Redcar, made possible through the Levelling Up partnership fund, and helping meet demand for critical scaffolding skills across wind, carbon capture usage and storage, hydrogen, nuclear and their infrastructure. 

Etc. is also the ECITB Regional Skills Hub for the Tees Valley, bringing providers together to meet skills needs with a cohesive approach.

As a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College (CETEC), the Etc. will now continue to build on its links with employers, industry leaders, further and higher education colleagues, to create even more life-changing opportunities for those starting out in their careers, the current workforce and those looking to retrain or upskill.

Capital investment will see the addition of further specialist employer-aligned facilities, equipment and resources, designed to support learners in relevant subject areas across the region and beyond.

“Collaboration is very much at the centre of the Technical Excellence College (TEC) programme, and that aligns perfectly with our ethos,” said Etc. chair of the governing board, Stuart Blackett.

“We are proud to have been given CETEC status and be in a position to share what we have learned with education colleagues, and to build on this to deliver a coherent regional clean energy curriculum framework aligned to Local Skills Improvement Plan and Skills England priorities.”

The TEC scheme operates on a “hub and spoke” model, encouraging colleges and training providers to work together to share best practices and facilities, with “strategic spokes” acting as leaders in their regions.

The Etc. CETEC will see the group partner with Newcastle College and Hull College as strategic spokes, and Teesside University’s Net Zero Innovation Centre as a strategic partner.

TECS were launched last year as part of government plans to invest in developing skilled workers for key priority sectors, with the first 10 in construction. Today saw the launch of 19 further TECs in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, and defence.

The aim is to break down barriers to opportunity and deliver the “gold standard pathways” young people deserve, helping achieve the Prime Minister’s target for two thirds of young people to be in higher level learning by 25.

Welcoming the announcement today, Andrew Hockey, chief executive of the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) said: “The college has demonstrated sustained excellence in delivering high quality skills provision across key engineering construction disciplines including electrical, mechanical, fabrication, welding and pipefitting. These disciplines are critical to meeting the future workforce demands of largescale clean energy and infrastructure projects across the UK.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Our region is now firmly established as a global leader in green energy, from offshore wind to carbon capture - creating exceptional opportunities for local people to access high-quality, well-paid jobs.

“To fully realise this potential, it’s vital we equip our workforce with the right skills and support. This announcement strengthens our position as a centre of excellence for green energy training, ensuring workers from Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool can further drive our economy forward and share in its success.”

Announcing the TECs today, Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “The industries that will define Britain’s future - clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, digital - need a pipeline of highly skilled workers, and we're building it.

“This investment in new Technical Excellence Colleges will give learners across England access to world-class training and a clear route into well-paid, rewarding careers. And because the best colleges will share their expertise with others, the whole country benefits.

“This is skills investment that works for learners, for employers, and for the regions driving growth across the country. They’ll deliver local jobs for local people, as well as growth for the whole of the country."