Introduction
The Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) are the Offshore Energy Alliances’ Topic Champion for promoting skills in the north Wales region. The RSP brings together employers, skills providers and key local stakeholders to understand and resolve skills mismatches at a local and regional level. The RSP work to identify current and future skills needed in the north Wales region.
The RSP have worked closely with key stakeholders across north Wales to identify skills gaps and have published a Skills Prospectus, focusing on low carbon skills in the region.
From the earlier windfarms and solar energy schemes to more recent tidal stream, nuclear, offshore wind and hydrogen projects, north Wales has emerged as a vibrant area that embraces low carbon and also focuses on developing a skilled workforce and a robust supply chain.
Offshore wind in north Wales
North Wales has 726 MW of offshore wind power from three projects in the Irish Sea; North Hoyle, Rhyl Flats, and Gwynt-y-Môr. There are currently two wind farms in operation by RWE; Rhyl Flats, a 25 turbine, 90MW wind farm and Gwynt y Môr, a 160 turbine, 576MW wind farm. Both these wind farms combined generate enough power for over 537,000 homes.
RWE
In Partnership with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, RWE offer a three-year Offshore Wind Turbine Technician Apprenticeship.
Apprentices study full time for the first two years at the Llandrillo College Campus, before being deployed at an offshore wind farm for practical and hands on experience throughout the third year.
RWE first established a relationship with Coleg Llandrillo in 2005 when the earliest wind farms in north Wales were constructed. It was chosen as the local college of choice for the wind turbine apprenticeship training programme, where over 30 apprentices have now successfully been trained. In 2020, the decision was made to make Coleg Llandrillo a national training hub and a further 8 apprentices were recruited. This means that apprentices trained at the college now have the opportunity to work on north Wales wind farms owned by RWE and others across the UK.
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
As well as being the hub for the offshore wind turbine technician apprentices, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai has a dedicated Centre for Infrastructure Skills and Technology (CIST) which supports SMEs in upskilling trades in the construction sector by delivering training in low carbon technology programmes.
This plays a key part in ensuring businesses are sustainable and can adapt to follow new and updated guidelines relating to greener technologies, work practices and installations. Programmes and centres such as this help to support and strengthen the current supply chain and will contribute towards the net zero ambitions of the UK.
The college has a range of qualification and training programmes to help support the growth and development of a skilled local supply chain:
• Engineering Degree Apprenticeships;
• Engineering for solar, wind, marine and nuclear energy;
• Repair and maintenance of EV;
• Installation of EV chargers;
• Solar panel installation and maintenance;
• Green construction skills;
Coleg Llandrillo Rhyl Campus – New Engineering Centre
The new engineering centre will be a hub for delivering world-class education and training for the engineering sector and will enable students to develop skills supporting the future needs of industry, including those critical to the renewable energy sector, manufacturing and the digital transformation of industry.
The RSP have been working alongside Grŵp Llandrillo Menai to establish the skills needs of the region and to ensure that the new centre will provide students with the skills needed to enter a career in the engineering and renewable energy sector. As well as teaching new skills, the centre will also focus on opportunities to up-skill current workforces.
A new Institute for Renewable Energy Technology is included in the new facility in partnership with RWE. The new facility features a three-floor industrial scale wind turbine servicing and maintenance hall which will enable students to gain valuable practical experience before being deployed at an offshore wind farm for hands on experience during the third year.
Skills Prospectus: Powering Progress and Unveiling North Wales
This piece of work supports low carbon projects and showcases universities and colleges across the region and the courses they deliver to support the low carbon sector. The prospectus delivers on some of the priorities in the Regional Economic Framework for north Wakes where skills and workforce are a priority.
