More industry training available after hundreds of north-east workers book free places
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Free industry safety training offered to north-east workers by leading global safety firm, RelyOn Nutec, has proved such a success that the Scottish Government has reallocated funding to offer more spaces up until end May.
Following a £400,000 funding boost from ETZ, RelyOn Nutec has already allocated free training spaces to over 320 people since January, many of whom were unemployed with others looking to re-enter the industry or transition to renewables.
With a current waitlist of over a hundred keen to take advantage of the oil and gas safety training or the offshore wind combined training, a further £155,000 in funding has now been earmarked to support the scheme and it is anticipated that an additional 150 individuals will receive a funded training space.
The majority of training delivered so far has been for renewables, which normally costs in the region of £2000 to complete GWO (Global Wind Organisation) basic safety and technical training.
The fully funded places at RelyOn Nutec’s Aberdeen training centre are available to people living in the Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire areas who are currently working in the oil and gas sector and want to recertify for the offshore wind industry, those who want to achieve first certification in the energy sector, and workers who want to renew their oil and gas safety training following 90 days lapse of certification.
Both sets of funding has been awarded by ETZ, the not-for-profit company with an ambition to reposition the north east of Scotland as global leader in energy transition and delivery of net zero targets, and is part of the Scottish Government’s £14.3million North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF).
Managing director of RelyOn Nutec (UK), Bob Donnelly, said: “We have been overwhelmed with the amount of interest we have received in this free industry safety training.
"Overall, we had more than a thousand applicants but some of them fell outwith the eligibility requirements.
"Of those we have supported, a number of them were unemployed or struggling to find work due to lapsed certification so we are pleased to have been able to help these people take an essential step to get back to work following the downturn and pandemic.
"More than one hundred candidates also registered with recruiters and employers at recruitment events we hosted at the training centre.
“The reallocated funding of £155,000 is a huge boost as we will now be able to help even more workers in the region.
"The uptake we have seen in these free training opportunities highlights that there is a real appetite for local people to get back into the industry or transition to renewables and it’s essential that we invest now in the industry talent of the future.”
ETZ Offshore Renewables director, Andy Rodden, said: “ETZ is delighted to continue supporting the offshore recertification programme led by RelyOn Nutec and their training has already provided certification to an overwhelming number of delegates.
"The reallocation of funding will ensure further delegates can receive first-class training to maximise their opportunities in new sectors.
“As a region we must progress ways to harness and retain the north east of Scotland’s existing unrivalled skill set.
"Programmes such as the RelyOn Nutec funded courses are vital to developing our workforce to underpin the energy transition.”
Individuals securing the fully funded training with RelyOn Nutec will also have two years’ access to the training firm’s e-learning library and a personal profile on RelyOn’s digital system, which is accessed by the firm’s vast client base to source fully certified personnel.
People who are eligible to secure the funded training can contact RelyOn Nutec by calling: 08444 142 142 to book a place or find out more at www.relyonnutec.com/support/energytransition.
