Shell and Scottish Power have announced they are exploring a new plan to develop floating offshore wind skills in Aberdeen.
The mooted Floating Wind Skills Accelerator “could create pathways all the way from primary school to a professional”, the energy firms said.
It will tie up with the National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA), part of the Energy Transition Zone based in the Granite City from Sir Ian Wood and Opportunity North East.
Shell and Scottish Power said they will use their ScotWind projects, MarramWind and CampionWind, to focus on the benefits of Scotland becoming a “global leader” in the field.
They said the programme will bring together academia, industry and the wider supply chain to open up opportunities in the north-east and further afield to establish the green workforce needed.
Apprenticeships and internships, graduate programmes, industry placements and STEM education workshops for primary and secondary schools are some of the initiatives which could be supported.
© Supplied by Scottish PowerCharlie Jordan, offshore director for the UK and Ireland at Scottish Power, said: “Commercial-scale floating offshore wind will revolutionise the energy sector – not just here in Scotland, but right across the world – and it’s vital we have the right people throughout the supply chain, with the right skills and capabilities, to make that happen.
“Our skills partnership aims to do exactly that, whether helping people into the industry for the first time, growing and upskilling the supply chain to support floating wind, or supporting experienced colleagues to make the move from oil and gas into renewables.”
The NESA is supported by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen University, North East Scotland College, the Energy Transition Zone and Skills Development Scotland.
Melissa Read, UK business manager offshore wind at Shell, said: “Shell aims to invest up to £25 billion in the next decade in the UK’s energy system, including in ScotWind. We want people in the north-east of Scotland to have a very real stake in the future these projects will create by equipping them with the right skills to play their part, here in Scotland and elsewhere.
“Working with our partners Scottish Power and NESA will help us do just that.”
Professor Paul de Leeuw, chair of the NESA, added: “NESA is delighted to work with ScottishPower and Shell to develop the floating offshore wind potential in the UK.
“The NESA partners have extensive capabilities across the energy spectrum and are looking forward to playing their part to develop and upskill the energy workforce of the future.”
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