News and events

January 2012

Investing in careers in offshore wind and Potash Mining

With tens of thousands of jobs predicted to be coming to the region in the next 5‐ 10 years in offshore wind and through the planned establishment of a new potash mine in North Yorkshire the message was clear "the region needs to match its people, skills and training provision to the requirements of the industry if the regional economy is to truly benefit".

On Thursday 3rd Nov 2011, over 80 representatives from schools, colleges, training providers, further and higher education establishments throughout the Yorkshire and Humber Region met with industry representatives from the Crown Estate, Forewind, Mainstream Renewable Power, The National Skills Academy for Power and York Potash to discuss the significant opportunities for future employment.

Matthew Parsons: Employment and Skills Manager at Scarborough Borough Council organised the event: "The day was about raising awareness of the opportunities on the horizon and starting the process of ensuring education and skills providers and employers are working together to meet the needs of the industry. It's our job to facilitate this and ensure the best deal for the region".

"Both potash mining and renewable energy, particularly offshore wind, offer the biggest employment and economic opportunities we have seen for a generation. Conservative estimates propose that over 50,000 jobs will be directly created in these industries, predominantly in the areas of engineering, manufacturing, and the sciences at all levels. If we get it right these jobs will offer well rewarded careers for life". The event follows on from the recent formation of a Yorkshire and Humber partnership which is concentrating on bringing together all of the Local Authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber to work in partnership and to place the region at the heart of the renewable energy industry.

The partnership visited Westminster to discuss issues relating to skills, infrastructure, consenting and grid connection for the renewable sector. As a result MP's undertook to establish an "All Party Parliamentary Group" to take forward the issues raised. The partnership then followed this up with joint exhibition stand at the RenewableUK conference in Manchester where authorities stood shoulder to shoulder in promoting the Yorkshire and Humber region to inward investors.

Only last week it was announced that York Potash and East Riding of Yorkshire Council would receive over £29m of Government funding in support of education, skills, research and development initiatives within the region.

Cllr. Derek Bastiman, Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning and Regeneration said: "This was an excellent event bringing together educators and industry in one place to discuss the way forward. In order to maximise the employment and economic growth opportunities throughout our region we must work collaboratively, putting aside politics and local authority boundaries and place ourselves at the heart of the renewable energy sector. Only then will we match the skills needs of industry with our local communities."

Related documents

9 June 2010

Whitby and Scarborough Offshore Wind will be attending the RenewableUK Offshore Wind 2011 event in Liverpool on the 29-30th June 2011.

Come and see us at stand 162 to have a chat and find out Borough of Scarborough has to offer you, your organisation and the offshore wind industry.

"Whitby and Scarborough the closest ports to Dogger Bank"

Extract from the RenewableUK website

29-30 June 2011, ACC Liverpool, UK

Offshore Wind 2011 is a must for anyone interested in the development of the sector's huge potential, not just in the UK but worldwide. With our exhibition fully booked by 167 companies, and over 2,500 delegates expected to attend, it presents a golden opportunity to update yourself on all fronts

More information

7 June 2010

Whitby Wind Supply Chain event a great success…….

Over 130 delegates attended The Offshore wind Supply Chain Event on the 25th May in Whitby.

The aim of the day was to encourage businesses and organisations to become part of the offshore wind supply chain.

Presentations on the industry and how to get involved in the supply chain were given from the Crown Estate, Forewind  (developers of Dogger Bank), Yorkshire Forward, NOF Energy,  MAS and the Employment, Education and Skills Service.

A presentation was also given on the Borough’s other significant supply chain opportunity, the establishment of a new Potash Mine by York Potash.

Alex Richards, Offshore Wind Project Manager at Scarborough Borough Council said:

“The event was considered very informative and a real success by those who attended.”

“The guest speakers were excellent and hopefully have inspired some of our supply chain businesses to grasp the opportunities in the offshore wind industry.”

“The scale of the offshore wind developments is so great there is room for almost every conceivable organisation to benefit, be they education establishments, engineering companies, hoteliers or providers of every day consumables. This is a whole new industry for the UK. What is critical is that organisations start the process of getting involved in the supply chain now if they are going to benefit.”

“A future event is being planned for October to target the education and training providers to ensure we have the people and skills in our region to meet the OSW industry needs.”

18th April 2011

Offshore Wind Industry Supply Chain event to be held in Whitby, 10:30am, 25th May 2011, Sneaton Castle.

Attendance is FREE and we will have guest speakers, support and service providers from within the industry at the event.

Come along and learn of the enormous opportunities which are available to your organisation and how you can get involved with the offshore industry.

From specialist engineering to the supply of every day consumables, security, training, recruitment, accommodation providers, etc etc. there are likely to be opportunities for your organisation.

The opportunities exist now and the industry is inviting you to get involved.

Also, we have included an update from the York Potash project team, another exciting opportunity for our area.

To register for the event please contact kerry.levitt@scarborough.gov.uk or phone 01723 232322 by Wednesday 11 May including any dietary requirements.

Spaces will be limited so book now to secure your place.

Download the Offshore Wind Industry Supply Chain event programme (PDF, 389KB)

9th March 2011

Developers Mainstream were first of the round 3 sites to obtain development consent for their Hornsea site in February. Seimens announced their intention to establish a turbine manufacturing plant in the Humber and Genesa formally announced their entry into the UK as Turbine Manufacturers establishing a new base in Scotland.

The industry is gathering pace as are the opportunities for business.

The Crown Estate along with suppliers and developers have been running a series or supply chain network events around the country to try and encourage local businesses to get involved with the opportunities.

The overarching message is that the opportunities are there for the taking throughout the supply chain from hardware such as nuts, bolts and fixings to services such as design, surveys, security and sanitation. Over a £100bn is being invested

If you want to get involved you need to be contacting the industry and telling them how your product can offer them best value and getting involved with the many supplier network organisations for example THMA, NOF or RenewableUK etc.

Business Opportunities Offshore Wind Farming - March 2011.pps

Some useful websites

Offshore Wind , update from Scarborough Borough Council project Board - January 2011

The offshore wind industry continues to expand grow and invest heavily in North Sea waters with the Round 1 wind farms up and running and many of the Round 2 sites under development. Already other areas along the coast are benefitting from this exciting new industry.

The Round 3 sites, the biggest to date at Dogger Bank and Hornsea (local to our area) are still under development and in the consenting stage the timetable remains on track to commence in 2014. 

With the current and pending consents and over £1,000m of investment offshore wind is already on target to deliver over 50% of the UK electricity consumption by 2020.

We need to be ready to maximise the opportunities this level of development can bring to our shores.

Partnerships and networking update - January 2011

The Borough Council has established a project team to take on the work necessary to ensure our borough and the wider region are equipped and ready to secure the potential opportunities that are arising out of the developing offshore wind industry.

Our first objective is to ensure the wind farm industry located in our waters, is supplied and serviced from our shores.

We are working closely with Whitby Fishing School, North Yorkshire County Council, Yorkshire Forward, Team Humber, Grimsby Insitute for Further and Higher Education (GIFHE), Yorkshire Coast College and all the ports and Local Authorities from the Tees to Lincolnshire to pool our resources and develop and align our offering to the industry.

In October the Borough Council was a key representative promoting the borough and region at the Committee of the Regions Conference on offshore renewables in Brussels.

Importantly we are now engaged directly with the wind farm industry and are now developing some significant interest in what our area can offer.

Training and Employment update - January 2011

The wind industries acknowledge there will soon be a shortage of workers with the requisite skills and qualifications to support the industry, particularly in the areas of operations and maintenance.

Working in partnership with Whitby Fishing School, GIFHE and the local training and education providers the project team are working with the industry on the development of vocational training, apprenticeship and re-skilling to be delivered through our local training and education establishments.

Supply Chain update - January 2011

From the manufacture of turbine blades to the supply of screws, clothing, toilets rolls and anything else the industry requires it will be necessary for our supply chain to have the appropriate certification, working practices and industry standards before they will be considered for business by the industry.

Working with the offshore industry and the Manufacturing Advisory Service we are developing an understanding of what these requirements are. Soon we hope to provide support and assistance to the businesses and organisations who wish to become part of the supply chain by helping them achieve the necessary working practices, standards and credentials. We also hope to introduce our local businesses to organisations who can broker introductions and relationships with the offshore industry.

Infrastructure update - January 2011

The Borough Council and The Harbour Authority are compiling a prospectus of available land and business space for those wishing to locate wind energy related businesses in the Borough.

Work is also underway to identify and provide the equipment and infrastructure needed by the industry for it to undertake it's operations. i.e. commercial berthing, land provision and services.

Offshore wind awareness raising event 23rd July 2010

Thank you to everyone for attending the inaugural meeting of the Whitby and Scarborough Off-Shore Wind Network. The day was a great success with almost 200 people attending from a variety of different businesses and organisations from across the region and beyond. You can read the full report of the event below.

European Enterprise Awards.It's a Coast Thing...Yorkshire Forward.Business Link.Scarborough Borough Council.Scarborough's Future.Whitby and Scarborough Offshore Wind.