Maersk Teaching Newcastle College Students about Renewables Industry

Maersk Training has joined forces with Newcastle College by running its Fundamental Skills for Offshore Technicians course with its students.

Image source: Maersk Training

Newcastle College has provided 55 of its students to undergo the six week course, after Maersk Training secured funding to provide the programme exclusively.

The course, which was launched in October last year, has been specifically developed for 16-18-year-olds who are keen to form a better understanding of the wind turbine industry.

Students on Newcastle College’s Engineering Programme at the Renewable Energy Academy will be released on to the course, taking place at Maersk Training in North Shields and the Renewable Skills Training Academy in Wallsend.

Students will get a taster of what it’s like to work in the renewables industry, learning mandatory skills and knowledge of safety.The course will provide employability skills and has been designed to offer participants an insight into a real life working environment.

Stuart Cameron, Managing Director at Maersk Training in Newcastle, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Newcastle College and can’t wait to welcome their students on to the Fundamental Skills course. At Maersk Training we want to encourage more people to consider a career in the wind turbine industry as there are so many amazing opportunities. This programme will offer the students a fantastic insight into the industry, as well as gaining some impressive qualifications to match.”

Site visits to employers, such as Port of Blyth, are organised per course where employer talks are given to the learners.

Advanced First Aid, Sea Survival and Hub Rescue are just a few of the many fundamental modules included within the course, which offers both theoretical and practical skillsets to the students through hands-on experience and observational learning.

“This is a brilliant way for our students who are studying subsea and renewable energy engineering at Newcastle College to see what it’s really like to work in the industry. All of our engineering courses aim to give students the opportunity to get first-hand work experience outside of the classroom, and the placements with Maersk Training have benefitted the students hugely,” said Andy Stephenson, Director of School of Construction, Engineering and Science.