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Government Unveils Plans for UK's First Renewable Energy College

Thursday December 11th 2014

The British Government has announced plans to develop a National College for Wind Energy. This will be the UK’s first further education centre dedicated to renewable energy.

According to Business Secretary, Vince Cable, the national college will be based in the Humber area and will provide a ‘hub’ for skills, training and education initiatives. The main focus of the ‘hub’ will be offshore wind, where a large growth in skills is needed.

The launch of the college, scheduled for late 2016, is the result of a proposal to Government which was led by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and RenewableUK. The project is seen as crucial in capitalising on the enormous potential that offshore wind plays in the Humber region and elsewhere in the UK.

Skills Minister, Nick Boles, commented: “Helping young people acquire advanced technical skills for the industries of the future is vitally important. National Colleges are an essential part of our long term economic plan. The Humber is the natural choice for the HQ of the new National College for Wind Energy.

“Through the College, Government and industry are investing in the people who will create local jobs and prosperity for the region. By arming people with the skills they need to be energy specialists we can provide career opportunities for thousands of young Britons, boost the competitiveness of British firms and help the UK economy remain strong for the future.”

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Maria McCaffrey, also said: “This is an exciting day for wind energy in this country and a cause for celebration. This unique college will provide cutting edge training for a generation of young people looking for a springboard into renewable energy.

“We need to ensure we maximise the extraordinary rise of green jobs in the UK; the growth in much-needed wind projects onshore and offshore has created a real demand for new skills and training as the sector goes from strength to strength. The college’s launch means we are one step closer to ensuring our global lead in offshore wind is reflected in home-grown skills as well”.

Source: http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/125374-government-unveils-plans-for-uk%5Cs-first-renewable-energy-college.html