More Than 600 Students Get Net Zero Inspiration From Green Careers Push

More than 600 students from across our region have found out more about the clean, green career opportunities coming over the horizon.

Doors of more than 20 businesses were opened up as part of the Net Zero Experiences of the Workplace programme – with school pupils getting a taste of the wide variety of jobs available in the booming sector.

Major global firms including BP, Sembcorp, SeAH Wind, EDF and RWE all took part.

Students took on activities designed by companies to develop both the skills and knowledge they’re looking for from future employees.

This including hands-on activities such as tending to hydrogen cars, installing thermal insulation, virtual welding, and virtual tours of sustainable buildings.

Those taking part also attended a Net Zero Careers Pathways Fair at Teesside University where they heard about courses on offer to help them taking their next step in their working journey.

It comes as the region cements itself as a leader in clean growth and green energy, with upcoming project puts the area on track to host the world’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040​.

Huge projects including the 800-metre long SeAH Wind monopile wind manufacturing facility at South Bank, and the Net Zero Power Teesside plant at Teesworks – part of the huge bp-led Net Zero Teesside carbon capture, utilisation and storage project – are primed to create thousands of jobs in the next three years.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We are truly at the forefront of the clean energy revolution in sectors such as solar, hydrogen and offshore wind.

“These programmes are essential to let our young people about the fantastic Net Zero careers opportunities available on their doorstep across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. Our next generations are the people who will drive forward the huge projects we have coming – and having the chance to link up with employers now is great for everyone involved.”

Michael Holliday is a Senior Manager at Middlesbrough engineering and services firm NG Bailey, which took part in the programme.

“At NG Bailey, we are really proud to support students and these experience days are essential to inspiring the next generation,” he said

“We really enjoyed the experience days and were pleased at how interactive the students were with the day and how they took to each of the tasks. We are really looking forward to support these days going forward.”

The programme was funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company with the support of the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority.