Key training at University Technical College in Scunthorpe town centre will equip workforce of the future
THE development of a marine energy park and logistics park on the South Humber Bank opens up huge job opportunities for the people of North Lincolnshire.
The marine energy park will create 5,100 direct on-site jobs and the logistics park a further 5,300 direct jobs, plus several thousand indirect jobs.
-
An artist's impression of the planned University Technical College, Scunthorpe
One of the key challenges for the region is ensuring workers are skilled enough to take on these jobs when they become available.
Jenny Couch, North Lincolnshire Council's head of regeneration and area rennaissance, spoke about the plans at a meeting of the Scunthorpe Town Team.
FREE MEAL OFFER at our award winning restaurant
View detailsWhatever your occasion, book a table for 6 or more and we will give you a free meal up to the value of £15 with this voucher.
Terms: Cannot be used with any other offers or vouchers. Your email address.......................... (if you want to receive vouchers in the future). Print voucher or show us the voucher on your phone.
Contact: 01724 281289
Valid until: Friday, July 19 2013
Mrs Couch stressed the need to introduce the planned University Technical College in Scunthorpe to help ensure local people have the correct skills for future job opportunities.
The proposal, led by the council, would see the £10 million building constructed on the site of the former Scunthorpe Leisure Centre. A decision on the plan is expected by the end of this month.
It would be created and operated in partnership with the University of Hull and a range of industry partners and cater for around 600 students aged 14 to 19.
Mrs Couch said: "We must ensure that people have the right skills so they can start work straight away.
"They will have graduates coming through that have the skills the employers require.
"They will become involved in the college and tailor the curriculum for their needs.
"It could potentially take 20 years to build these turbines but by the end of this, there could be a new cycle of manufacturing but there will also be the maintenance work there. We can't guarantee that the jobs will be coming to this area but we need the people to have the skills before the jobs come."
Speaking of the development, being brought forward by Able UK on land near East Halton, Mrs Couch said: "It is the last undeveloped estuary of its size in the UK.
"The 7,000 wind turbines will hopefully bring manufacturing jobs to the Humber region rather than to other parts of the UK. We want to see those jobs being created here."
"The Marine Energy Park is a significant development.
The North Lincolnshire economy is worth around £2.6billion each year. Industry strengths in the area include chemical, constructions, metal manufacturing, engineering, farming, forestry, transport and storage. However, there are weaknesses in entrepreneurship and low levels of business start-up.
This is something council bosses are wanting to address by creating 500 jobs with a £10 million allocation through the Regional Growth Fund.
Mrs Couch said: "I am pleased to say that we have eight applications to consider next week at our board meeting and we will have spent half the money and we will be around the 400 jobs mark."
Comments
by all2cock
Friday, March 22 2013, 8:54AM
“I really do not understand why such a building is being built in the Town Centre, surely utilising the buildings vacated by the Lloyds banking group/the old Citizen site on the Kingsway would be more logical. It would make more sense for students to be accommodated in the same area, given the facilities already available, and the ease of access via the road networks.
All the further education colleges would form a 'learning triangle' - with the North Lindsey and John Leggott Colleges. Thus creating a superb opportunity for sharing of facilities such as a library which could could be well stocked for use by all the colleges, rather than each college trying to provide enough material for their students needs.
But then again, NLC, regardless of who is the controlling party, likes to squander our hard earned Council Tax revenue on useless buildings in inaccessible places, without any joined up thinking.”