Vattenfall has created a skill exchange programme for young engineers in colleges in the UK and Netherlands to learn about the offshore wind industry.
The company campaign saw East Coast College (ECC) in Lowestoft host ten Dutch students from Amsterdam’s MBO College Airport, which Vattenfall worked with during construction of its 140-turbine Hollandse Kust wind farm.
The electrical engineering and aviation students spent two weeks in Lowestoft training on specialist industry equipment at ECC’s £11.7m Energy Skills Centre and in its Environmental Survival Tank.
Later this year, they will host ECC engineering students on a return visit when they learn specialist blade repair skills using decommissioned turbine blades supplied to the college by Vattenfall.
During their two weeks in Lowestoft, the Dutch students worked with Vattenfall’s young ambassadors studying at ECC, who they trained to deliver a day-long workshop to design and build a virtual windfarm.
They also visited two offshore wind farm bases and control rooms and went behind the scenes at Associated British Ports (ABP) Lowestoft.
The new partnership supports offshore wind industry targets to employ 100,000 people in the UK alone by 2030.
Denise Hone, Senior Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager for Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, said: “Partnerships like this are really important for Vattenfall and the offshore wind industry, and are also great for students here in the east of England and in Holland, helping them get experience and a head start in our exciting industry.
“The east of England is changing the world in a green energy revolution with billions of pounds being invested in the sea between the two colleges in England and the Netherlands. As we move into construction of our Norfolk Wind Zone, we need local people to work on our project so this is a great opportunity for local students to get involved.
“It’s fantastic that East Coast College is at the heart of offshore wind training. The students have gone back to Holland with Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training, which is the gateway to work offshore.”