Humberside Offshore Training Association (HOTA) has teamed up with specialist provider Total Access (UK) to offer training for workers in the UK’s emerging wind industry.
It was in June last year that senior management of both organisations met to discuss the possibility of a liaison to provide the necessary training infrastucture.
Hull-based HOTA was already expanding on to an adjacent property, where it planned to transfer and expand some of its existing facilities. As renewable energy is a key component to both oganisations’ future strategy, it was agreed that a collaboration should be investigated, with Total Access becoming HOTA’s preferred training provider for the delivery of working at heights, confined space and Renewable UK training.
Construction of a facility is now well under way and will be completed and ready to accept course delegates from June 6 this year. It will include a purpose-built training structure, IRATA approved rope access training and an external 25m communications tower.
On HOTA’s Albert Dock site, an existing 25m tower is currently undergoing refurbishment. The deal means that HOTA and Total Access will deliver both marine and land-based training to satisfy the renewables sector training market.
Additionally, HOTA is investigating the feasibility of erecting a wind turbine on the quay edge, providing even greater realism to the training. The duo claim the collaboration will transform the training currently available to the UK renewable energy market.