What We Do

As part of the NTCA ‘Opportunity for All’ Strategic Skills Plan we have identified a number of growth sectors for skills in the North of Tyne area.

£5 million has been invested in the Skills for growth programme to ensure that NTCA funding for innovation and targeted investment was underpinned by the development of a skills and talent pipeline.

Green skills was identified as priority sector and we are proud to partner with these local providers on exciting Green skills programmes.

Energy Central Campus Ltd

Energy Central Campus is a unique partnership between the Port of Blyth, Northumberland County Council and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, with a mission to create the pipeline of talent required for the expanding clean energy sector. At the same time, it will inspire, train and deliver routes to employment for the local community.

It is a business led initiative in the heart of one of the UK’s largest clean energy clusters, providing a clear understanding of the skills and training needs of the sector. ECC will allow the voice of industry to shape training provision to ensure the development of the high-quality clean energy sector workforce of the future.

ECC will deliver this vision over two phases:

ECC Phase 1 – Energy Central Learning Hub (ECLH) – A new STEM education and vocational training facility, developing energy sector skills and aspirations among young people at school and college, and adults re-training for new roles. Based at the Port of Blyth, learners will develop skills in a real-world energy port setting

The ECLH will open in 2024 and will deliver:

• Ca 2400 sqm of new training and skills space
• 5000 sqm of remediated brown field land
• The creation of 5 FTE new jobs to lead and manage the ECLH and its operations

Over its first three years of operation the ECLH will deliver or support the delivery of:

• 1800 learners on sector specific accredited programmes of study
• 10000 young people on STEM events and activities
• 90 sector businesses with their business growth needs
• 275 young people progressing into related Higher Education
• 340 young people into sector-related employment

Energy Central Learning Hub

ECC Phase 2 – Energy Central Institute (ECI) – A new higher-level skills and innovation facility, developing energy sector expertise at degree and PhD levels. Creating a focal point for collaboration between energy businesses, OREC, and Northeast universities, it will develop higher-level skills and technological innovations to keep the region at the forefront of energy sector growth. The ECI will open in September 2026.

Green Growth Skills Forecasting

Delivered by Newcastle College University Centre

The purpose of the project is to bring together the expertise of Newcastle University, Newcastle College, Education Partnerships North East (EPNE) and ORE Catapult to undertake a research project, engaging at technology level with local industry to link macro and micro job numbers at regional level to provide objective evidence of green skills requirements, and enable NTCA to prioritise funding towards targeted green growth training which will meet identified skills needs within the emerging green technology sector.  The research activity is phase one of the project and will lead into a parallel phase two of activities.  The first phase two activity will be to develop a research-informed schools engagement programme where we use the results of our phase one research to develop and deliver an exciting green skills engagement programme to be delivered within NTCA primary and secondary schools. In parallel with these we will also develop and deliver green technology sector training courses focussed on the local green growth employment opportunities.

The RE:geon Project

Delivered by RE:geon Training Solutions Ltd.

The RE:geon Project has been developed to address the skills shortage in the construction sector; in particular, green construction skills needed to deliver domestic retrofit projects. Working in partnership with NTCA, local construction employers and major social housing providers, RE:geon is actively supporting to drive to Net-Zero.

Recognising the need to raise awareness of the green agenda and our introduction to construction includes “Climate Change in Action” together with Health & Safety in a Construction Environment. This 3-day programme consists of regulated and non-regulated qualifications in Domestic Retrofit & Environmental Sustainability in Construction, leading to further adult skills programmes and Skills Bootcamps including Route 2 Retrofit.

RE:geon is also introducing a suite of wellness workshops and projects to help local residents of social housing providers develop green skills through “Sow and Grow”.

For more information head to https://regeon.co.uk/

Skills for Sustainability

Delivered by Northumbria University

Skills for Sustainability is a programme of activity covering 3 different workstreams:  

• Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing, to enable the development of high-level upskilling for people working in the chemistry/polymer science/materials industry.    
• To pilot a suite of e-learning courses around  
  • Climate change and resilience  
  • Evaluation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the public and private sector 
  • Technical detail on carbon accounting and reporting, equipping participants with the necessary skills to contribute to Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting (MGHG) requirements. 
• Skills for sustainable retrofit in the housing sector – to provide staff across the sector with skills/knowledge to manage the delivery the decarbonisation of housing stock. 

For more information about our full Skills for Growth programme head to our Education, Inclusion and Skills page.