£1.17m funding for UHI to create an Offshore Wind Skills Hub

The funding represents almost 70% of the £1.68 million awarded through the first round of the programme and will support a coordinated, industry-led approach to developing the skilled workforce needed for Scotland’s rapidly growing offshore wind sector. The new initiative will serve all the communities covered by UHI's distributed campus across the Highlands and Islands, Argyll, Perthshire and Moray.

The announcement was made on Monday 22 June by Energy Minister Stephen Gethins as part of a package of awards designed to help realise Scotland’s renewable energy potential and support the development of the workforce required to meet future industry demand.

The Offshore Wind Skills Hub is supported by a range of employer organisations and partners including Scottish Engineering, CECA Scotland, Highland Renewables, Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, Prosper, North Highland Chamber of Commerce, regional Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) groups across the Highlands and Islands, Argyll, Moray and Tayside, as well as Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland.

Working with seven UHI academic partners and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), the hub will improve access to training and career opportunities in offshore wind, support businesses to recruit and develop the skilled workforce they need, and deliver a coordinated programme of curriculum development aligned to ScotWind, Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) and Green Freeport opportunities.

Through employer incentives, flexible training funding, learner support and bursaries, the programme will help remove barriers to participation and create clear pathways into offshore wind careers. It will focus on key occupations in engineering, electrical, fabrication, maritime and infrastructure disciplines essential to offshore wind development.

The Offshore Wind Skills Hub will support new entrants to the sector, individuals transitioning from related industries, and existing workers seeking to upskill. The initiative will also invest in new training provision and regional capacity, ensuring the Highlands and Islands is well positioned to capture the economic opportunities associated with offshore wind development and the transition to net zero.

Vicki Nairn, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UHI, said:

“This significant investment recognises the vital role that UHI and our partners play in developing the workforce needed to support Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

“Our regions are at the heart of Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions. Through the Offshore Wind Skills Hub, we will work closely with industry partners to ensure that people and communities can access the skills, training and opportunities required to benefit from the sector’s growth.

“By bringing together employers, industry organisations and our academic partners, we can create a sustainable pipeline of talent that supports economic development, helps businesses grow and enables more people to access high-quality jobs linked to the energy transition.”