People and skills

Skills Development - a collaborative approach

The North Yorkshire Coast Employment and Skills Partnership recognise the importance of having a skilled workforce and are committed to meeting both the immediate skills needs of the industry and growing the workforce of the future.

The partnership was established in 2008, with the key aim of aligning skills provision with the needs of the local economy. Members include the strategic bodies responsible for skills development and the providers, such as representatives from schools, further education, higher education, and private and voluntary sector training providers.

We are working closely with local engineering and manufacturing companies to respond to the skills needs of the sector.

A Borough wide Engineering and Manufacturing Forum consisting of local businesses accounting for over 80% of the sector workforce, has been established to shape skills provision and promote the sector as a rewarding career choice for young people. We can build the capacity of local engineering firms to respond to the opportunities provided by the Offshore Wind Industry.

Key Providers

There is a ‘pipe-line’ of education and training provision to meet the requirements of the industry. Secondary schools throughout the area have developed an increasingly vocational curriculum, including engineering at Whitby Community College. Yorkshire Coast College provide a comprehensive engineering offer that can be adaptable to the requirements of the power industry.

The College has recently benefitted from the experience and expertise provided by a merger with Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education.

There are also a number of voluntary and private training providers to support adults and those in the existing workforce gain the skills necessary for the industry. These include Whitby Fishing School developing seafaring skills, whilst Derwent Training delivers advanced engineering apprenticeships as well as bespoke solutions to the sector.

The University of Hull, Scarborough campus, can support industry with higher-level skills particularly leadership and management, and through knowledge transfer thereby boosting innovation and efficiency.

Recruitment

Scarborough Borough Council has developed Scarborough Jobmatch project, which is funded by Yorkshire Forward, and can provide advice and practical support on all aspects of recruitment and employee retention. In only seven months the project has supported 80 businesses to recruit over 200 people with the skills and qualities they require.

We are confident that, together with the wider regional network of training providers, we have the capacity and commitment to working collaboratively to create a skilled and adaptable workforce required by the Offshore Wind Industry.

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