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SKILLS GAP UPDATE Humber leading the way...


When it comes to developing a hub for wind energy skills, the Humber is leading the way


Demand for offshore wind O&M technicians in the UK could top 10,000 by 2020, so it’s no surprise that training has become such a hot topic. How do companies plan to equip their workforce with the engineering and sector specific skills they will need to operate and service the UK’s wind farms efficiently and safely?


OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE BASES Just 7 miles from Grimsby where RES Offshore, Centrica, Siemens and Eon have chosen to set up O&M bases (with Dong and RWE in the pipeline) the CATCH training facility thinks it may have the answer.


NATURAL AFFINITY


As many renewable technologies have found a home on and offshore in the Humber region, CATCH has noticed the natural affinity they have with the area’s existing industry, particularly from a skills perspective. There are differences that have been appreciated and identified by CATCH and the result has been a concerted effort over the last 18 months to diversify CATCH’s offering by working with new providers to develop specialised training facilities for the renewables sector.


MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING


This includes the signing of a memorandum of understanding between HCF (the operators of the CATCH facility) and 3C Humber, a new joint venture training organisation between Grimsby based Blackrow Engineering and Norwegian offshore training experts AAK. This will see the conversion of CATCH’s existing 22m distillation column and supporting structures into a replica wind turbine tower that will be used to deliver safe rope access, dropped object, rescue & evacuation, work at heights, ladder working and confined space training for the rapidly expanding offshore wind and existing offshore oil and gas industries.


3C HUMBER


Barry Taylor, Chief Executive of 3C Humber, explained why they are interested in coming to the CATCH facility: “When we came to look around CATCH it was obvious that the tower and surrounding structures were ideally suited for conversion into the type of facility we need to deliver our comprehensive training programmes.


UNIQUE FACILITY


“This facility will be unique in this region, and right on the doorstep of the offshore operations and maintenance companies that are based in Grimsby. If all goes to plan, we hope to be delivering the first 3C Humber GWO and Renewable UK approved training courses at CATCH in January 2014.”


A VISION


CATCH was the vision of a group of Humber based operating sites, contracting companies and public sector organisations that recognised the need for a collaborative approach to skills, and the positive effect this could have on the success and competitiveness of the Humber region as an industrial hub.


This vision was realised in 2006 when CATCH opened. Since then there have been two expansions, and the 10 acre, £12 million site now boasts an impressive list of facilities that are used to develop and deliver authentic, industrial training and competence assessment for the Humber region and beyond. This includes a 3 storey process plant, confined space entry and access zones, bunded tank farm, process simulator, Skills Enhancement Centre and engineering workshops.


22 www.windenergynetwork.co.uk


Meet the providers at CATCH… MINES RESCUE SERVICE


Mines Rescue Service has drawn on its experience of difficult and potentially dangerous environments to develop a range of fully accredited health and safety courses including first aid, firefighting, confined spaces and rescue. In partnership with CATCH, Mines Rescue have built a state-of-the-art confined spaces training rig that has been approved by City and Guilds for the full 6150 series. In addition, a new marine enclosed spaces facility has recently opened and by the end of 2013 there are plans to offer training and certification to Renewable UK standards to satisfy the demand of wind turbine maintenance companies.


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