Thousands more young people in the North East will be trained for careers in the fast-growing green energy sector thanks to an £8.48 million investment approved by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and her Cabinet.

The funding will support the expansion of Newcastle College's Energy Academy in Wallsend, with the construction of a brand-new building next to the existing facility. The project will double the academy's footprint and create a new Energy Campus, enabling the college to triple the number of students it can enrol annually.

The investment comes as the offshore renewables industry on the River Tyne prepares for a significant boom, with an estimated 4,500 new jobs in manufacturing and engineering expected over the next decade. The region’s green energy workforce is projected to grow to more than 24,000.

Mayor McGuinness, who has made skills and opportunity central to her vision for the North East, visited the academy last week alongside North Tyneside Mayor Karen Clark. The pair toured the training facilities and met with students and staff to learn more about the academy's work in offshore and renewables education.

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Mayor McGuinness said: "This £8.48m investment will prepare young people for careers in the renewables and offshore sector - strengthening our commitment to making our region the home of the green energy revolution.

"With this investment, the expansion of the Energy Academy will help even more young people develop the specialist green skills required to meet the needs of one of our region’s fastest growing sectors. Eventually the expansion will mean three times more people can study here which is brilliant. This is such an exciting project for the future of young people in our region, and I was delighted to chat to students and staff at the academy about this investment and see their training in action."

Mayor of North Tyneside, Karen Clark, added: "It is incredibly exciting to see such a significant investment taking place right here in North Tyneside.

"Expanding the Energy Academy not only opens the door to enhanced training and skills for our residents and especially our young people, but it strengthens our position in the rapidly growing engineering and offshore energy sector.

"This is a catalyst for wider growth along the economic corridor of the River Tyne too as well as supporting our regeneration of Wallsend Town Centre. It will help unlock the potential for new businesses in the Investment Zone, helping us to harness the full potential of the green industry in our borough."