Offshore and maritime training provider Clyde Training Solutions (CTS) has opened a renewables-dedicated centre in Glasgow, Scotland.
CTS provides marine, offshore and renewables safety training, with a deep water pool, helicopter underwater escape training (HUET), fire training and helideck and Global Wind Organisation (GWO) basic safety already on offer to complement the new courses.
Employment experts have said there are significant opportunities for oil and gas workers to transition into renewables, while the National Grid has said 400,000 positions will need to be filled if the UK is to cut emissions to net zero by 2050.
With the six-figure investment in the Glasgow facility, CTS said it will be able to offer the appropriate training to fill the skills gap on one site.
CTS general manager Kris McDonald said: “We know that thousands of positions need to be filled across the industry, and regardless of whether it’s traditional or new energy companies that are involved in operations, people will need specific training and development.
“With more than 70 organisations having bid in the ScotWind leasing auction, we know the demand for this type of training will be there.”
Based on the banks of the River Clyde, just minutes from Glasgow city centre, the new facilities include a multilevel structure with various types of ladders, hatches and fall arrest systems, as well as a simulated area to escape from height and a structure to simulate the typical components found in a wind turbine, which will provide tight spaces for casualty rescue training.
The opening of the new facility in Clydebank comes after the company was awarded a three-year contract to provide OPITO and GWO training to a new industry client.