Renewables companies step up for National Apprenticeship Week 2023
The UK’s renewable energy companies all stepped up to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2023, which ran from 6-12 February, under this year’s theme of ‘Skills for Life.’
EDF Renewables used it as the springboard to unveil its new apprenticeship scheme in roles such as health, safety and environment and electrical engineering.
Apprentices will spend some of their time at North Tyneside College, before learning the practical elements of the job across various EDF Renewables sites in the UK.
Piero Maggio, Asset Operations Director at EDF Renewables UK, said: “From day one, our apprentices are an important part of our company and we’re passionate about offering this important entry route for those wanting to embark on a career within renewable energy. We’ve gained an incredible amount from our existing apprentices and it has been great to see them go from strength to strength and give them such a fantastic start to their career.”
As well as the new apprenticeship scheme, EDF Renewables UK is also creating a number of new graduate roles in commercial and engineering areas.
RWE has also launched a new training programme to help grow its renewables business in the UK.
In 2023, 26 new RWE apprenticeships will be created – 12 wind turbine technicians, four in IT and, for the first time in three years, 10 technical craft apprenticeships for RWE Generation.
Tom Glover, head of RWE UK, said: “To be successful we need to attract the brightest people ensuring fresh ideas and innovations support RWE’s journey to being Net Zero by 2040. All of our apprentices come from the regions our power plants or business quarters are located in and will make a valuable contribution to the communities we operate within.”
RWE’s 26 new apprenticeships will join their present cohort of 51 UK apprentices who work in positions such as wind technician, accounting technician, associate project manager, software development and software tester and engineering.
Scottish Power has committed to hiring 1,000 new green jobs and also runs an apprenticeship and training programme.
Orsted has a 3-year UK apprenticeship scheme for wind turbine technicians, which they deliver in partnership with the Grimsby Institute and Furness College.
The government’s Green Jobs Delivery Group, which has been set up to create green jobs opportunities in the UK, calls for green ‘apprenticeships’ to be a key pathway for graduates and young professionals to enter the renewables industry.
