About the Hub
The University of the 网曝吃瓜 and Islands (网曝吃瓜) has secured Scottish Government funding to establish an Offshore Wind Skills Hub – a coordinated, industry led programme to build a skilled offshore wind workforce across the 网曝吃瓜 and Islands.
Working with seven 网曝吃瓜 partners and EMEC, the Hub will expand training access, support employer recruitment and upskilling, and deliver provision aligned to ScotWind, INTOG and Green Freeport opportunities.
The programme will build regional capacity in priority occupations to meet current and future demand, scaling provision in engineering, electrical, fabrication, maritime and infrastructure roles.
Through direct financial support including employer incentives, flexible funding and learner bursaries, it will stimulate demand, scale short鈥慸uration training, and create clear pathways into offshore wind careers. The Hub will also develop future provision and pathways, ensuring long鈥憈erm regional capability for offshore wind and emerging technologies.
Projects
- Shetland: Cadet Programme development
- Thurso: Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8) development
- Orkney: Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot; Design of multi-purpose engineering facility; Hydrogen for Ports and Harbours training; Scaling of maritime provision
- Stornoway: Scaling of maritime provision; Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8)
- Easter Ross; Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills
- Mallaig; Scaling of maritime provision
- Moray; Offshore wind technician trainee development
- Fort William; Scaling of maritime provision
- Inverness; Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training; Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements; MSc Rural and Urban Planning
- Argyll; New engineering provision : pipeline, MA and OSW contextualisation
- Perth; Scaling fab-weld short course/s flux core MIG/MMA
Enablers
Establishing the 网曝吃瓜 Regional Offshore Wind Skills Hub with £1m+ Scottish Government investment leveraged by at least £1m of industry co-investment
- Including £500k+ to accelerate development and delivery of training in priority occupational areas where skills gaps are identified
- New flexible employer fund (£275,000)
- New MA and GA Apprenticeship recruitment top鈥憉p payments (£2,000 - £3,000 each)
- New targeted bursaries (40 x £1,500)
Talent and Skills Pipeline
- Regional, co-ordinated scaling of engineering, construction, maritime, offshore wind, hydrogen, renewables and short鈥慸uration courses (网曝吃瓜)
- Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot (EMEC)
- Offshore wind technician trainee development (网曝吃瓜 Moray & Natural Power)
- New engineering provision: pipeline, MA and OSW contextualisation (网曝吃瓜 Argyll)
- Nautical science / cadet programme development (网曝吃瓜 Shetland & MCA)
- Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training (网曝吃瓜 Inverness)
- Development of MSc Rural and urban planning (网曝吃瓜 Inverness)
- Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements (网曝吃瓜 Inverness)
- Scaling of fab weld engineering and offshore skills (网曝吃瓜 NWH)
- PDA in hydrogen technologies SCQF 8 development (网曝吃瓜 NWH)
- Scaled maritime provision (网曝吃瓜 Orkney and 网曝吃瓜 NWH)
- Design of multi-purpose engineering facility (网曝吃瓜 Orkney and SSE)
- Hydrogen for ports and harbours training (网曝吃瓜 Orkney)
- Fabrication and Welding Short Course/s Flux Core MIG/MMA (网曝吃瓜 Perth)