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A new training centre to support the Hinkley Point C project in Somerset has officially opened.
Energy Minister Greg Hands opened one of three new training centres. Together with existing facilities and investment into education and skills, the centres will be ready to help local people join the additional 4,000 workers needed for the next phase of the power station's construction.
The Minister unveiled the new Welding Centre of Excellence at Bridgwater and Taunton College's campus in Bridgwater this morning. The project has invested £8 million into the three new training centres, in partnership with the college. The Welding Centre will train and qualify 500 welders a year, helping local people into work and meeting skills shortages in the South West and across Britain.
Many trainees live in the local area and will take advantage of the jobs being created for Hinkley Point C’s next phase, which will see miles of pipes and electrical cables being fitted across the power station.
The welding facility is the latest Centre of Excellence to be opened in support of the Hinkley Point C project, which has now invested a total of £24 million into education, skills, and employment support. It joins the Electrical Centre of Excellence in Bridgwater and the Construction Skills and Innovation Centre, in Cannington. A Mechanical Centre of Excellence will open in Cannington this summer, to train students in pipefitting, steel erection and plating. Together they will support the next phase of the project, as electrical systems and major components begin to be installed.
The centres will provide new routes to people who are looking to start a career in construction, regardless of their background or skill set. New training courses have been launched, including the government’s Bootcamp scheme, T-level work experience placements and supported traineeships.
Hinkley Point C's Managing Director, Stuart Crooks said: "The energy crisis has shown the need for Hinkley Point C’s reliable, low-carbon electricity is more urgent than ever. This report shows the project is also delivering big social and economic benefits in the communities that host us and beyond. It's good news to see that productivity and prosperity is rising locally and we've worked hard to ensure that people in the region can benefit from the many job opportunities on offer in the next phase of construction."
