Plans to ignite future careers in welding have been given a boost with the launch of a new training facility at Redcar and Cleveland College.
The purpose-built workshop aims to increase training opportunities for adults and school leavers in welding as part of a shared drive to tackle skills shortages and help trigger careers in key industries across the region and nationwide.
With the addition of 12 new welding bays to the college, with all new welding sets and technology, deputy chief executive of the Education Training Collective (Etc.), Jason Faulkner, said: “This is a fantastic resource that will help to meet skill needs both now and into the future.
“With major employer developments coming to the Tees Valley, there will be further significant demand for welders, adding to what are already significant existing skill shortages.”
The bespoke welding workshop sits alongside the NETA-led All Access Academy, currently under construction on the college site, made possible with a total £4.7m investment from the government’s Levelling Up partnership fund, following a successful bid by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
Equipment and resources have been funded by the government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund as part of a total investment of £2.5m shared among eight Teesside colleges and training providers to provide equipment and staff development training for a host of initiatives tackling specific skill gaps in the region.
Partnering with the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), and working closely with thousands of businesses across the region, priority sectors were identified in line with the Local Skills Improvement Plan.
Enhanced welding, pipefitting and fabrication facilities were signposted as an area of focus for Redcar and Cleveland College, along with training facilities to simulate hydrogen creation, application and use.
By working together with industry experts, employers and further education colleagues, Jason said: “Collectively we are working hard to ensure people in our surrounding communities have the relevant skills to fill the jobs on their doorsteps.
“We want to create a workforce and a future talent pipeline that will see people able to progress in their careers as opportunities arise.
“Skills gaps in welding are not specific to the Tees Valley, there is an increasing demand for these core skills nationally, particularly with the growth in renewable, low carbon and wind energy sectors. We want to equip people with the training to be able to maximise on those opportunities.”
The new welding facility adds to the existing engineering provision at Redcar and Cleveland College. It incorporates 12 new bays with hydraulic welding tables and a demonstration area.
Working with Lincoln Electric UK the facility comprises 15 QuickMig compact range welding machines, an electric welding rotator and positioner.
Project lead Dave Thompson said: “This will enable us to offer welding skills to both our full-time engineering students at the college and apprentices focusing on specialist skills in plate and pipe welding, as well as adult learners.”
Jason added: “As education providers we have a responsibility to provide training to meet the skill needs of the future, both for school leavers and for adults looking to make that transition in their career.”
The first learners are expected to start training in the new welding workshop early this year.
Councillor Lynn Pallister, cabinet member for growth and enterprise at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: “I am really pleased to see such an excellent welding facility open right on our doorsteps. Teesside is on the verge of significant change due to the employment opportunities coming to Teesworks, including in industries such as renewable, low carbon and wind energy. I want our local students and apprentices to be the first in line for those jobs, equipped with all the skills they need for a bright future ahead.”
Rachel Anderson, assistant director of policy at the NECC, said: “To achieve regional economic growth, we need to create a highly skilled workforce that’s fit for the future. It’s key that we bring businesses, colleges and training providers together to close the skills gaps in the region and break down barriers.
“That’s exactly what is being achieved through the Chamber-led Tees Valley Local Skills Improvement Plan, and it's excellent to see Redcar and Cleveland College benefiting from recent investments, including the new welding facility.
“Upcoming Tees Valley developments mean it’s important we ensure we have the right skills in the right place at the right time, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact these new facilities will have on emerging industries and the region’s growing economy.”
The £2.5m LSIF grant, allocated by the Department for Education, was committed to back sector-specific projects delivered at Redcar and Cleveland College, Stockton Riverside College and NETA Training (all part of the Education Training Collective), along with Darlington College, Middlesbrough College, Hartlepool College, Hartlepool Sixth Form College, and the Learning Curve Group, in partnership with the NECC.
