Equinor has launched a new apprenticeship support scheme in the east of England aimed at closing offshore wind skills gaps in the region.
Eight to 10 apprentices from local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in East of England will benefit from Equinor’s Apprenticeship Levy transfer and begin upskilling in Autumn 2022.
In collaboration with East Coast College’s Energy Skills Centre for the pilot programme, Equinor is advancing a novel approach to skills development in the Norfolk region through the transfer of its UK Apprenticeship Levy to continuing preparing the next generation of offshore wind talent.
The UK Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017 to help businesses offer more sustainable apprenticeship programmes and training opportunities.
Levy-paying companies can transfer some of their levy funds to other non-levy paying organisations, with the aim of supporting smaller businesses’ training needs.
Having identified skills gaps in Norfolk and the East of England around its existing Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon wind farms and proposed extension projects, Equinor will partner with local training providers such as East Coast College to help close these skills gaps through apprenticeship cohorts from SMEs operating in Norfolk and the East of England.
The programme is also a collaboration with the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (NALEP) and will directly support NALEP’s ‘Developing Skills for Growth’ initiative, which aims to support economic development while improving the life chances of people from all NALEP communities.
Inquiries to East Coast College will be opened in June 2022, with preference given to supply chain SMEs working within or seeking to enter the offshore wind sector.
Equinor will cover the full cost of the apprentices’ education, with the initial cohort in Norfolk expected to bolster their competences in project management, which is a skillset with an identified shortage in the region.
Future cohorts of apprentices in Norfolk are anticipated and will be delivered through Equinor’s collaboration with East Coast College and other regional training providers.
Equinor SVP for North Sea Renewables Trine Borum Bojsen said: “We are delighted to have identified this pioneering opportunity to stimulate local skills development in Norfolk, through the transfer of our UK Apprenticeship Levy.
“Norfolk continues to be core to Equinor’s North Sea offshore wind footprint and with further activity expected through our Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon extension projects, the need for continuous competency development in the region is becoming more critical.
“We are proud to partner with East Coast College for this initial cohort of Norfolk-based apprentices and are keen to continue developing a diverse and capable workforce of the future.”
Equinor East of England Stakeholder Manager Susan Falch-Lovesey said: “Through collaboration with local SMEs and leading regional training providers such as East Coast College, Equinor is able to scale the offshore wind skills development agenda with this pilot cohort of apprentices in Norfolk and the East of England.
“This step change in Apprenticeship Levy transfer is indicative of Equinor’s commitment to leading on the holistic development of local supply chains in the UK. I’m pleased that Norfolk and Suffolk will be first to benefit from a pilot that, if expanded, could lead to substantial skills improvements across the UK.
“Transferring Levy at a cohort scale to our local SMEs and in partnership with our valued training establishments is a straightforward win-win.”