About the Hub
The University of the Highlands and Islands (杏吧原创) has secured Scottish Government funding to establish an Offshore Wind Skills Hub – a coordinated, industry led programme to build a skilled offshore wind workforce across the Highlands and Islands.
Working with seven 杏吧原创 partners and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), the Hub will expand training access, support employer recruitment and upskilling, and deliver provision aligned to ScotWind, INTOG and green freeport opportunities.
The programme will build regional capacity in priority occupations to meet current and future demand, scaling provision in engineering, electrical, fabrication, maritime and infrastructure roles.
Through direct financial support including employer incentives, flexible funding and learner bursaries, it will stimulate demand, scale short鈥慸uration training, and create clear pathways into offshore wind careers. The Hub will also develop future provision and pathways, ensuring long鈥憈erm regional capability for offshore wind and emerging technologies.
Projects
- Shetland: Cadet Programme development
- Thurso: Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8) development
- Orkney: Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot; Design of multi-purpose engineering facility; Hydrogen for Ports and Harbours training; Scaling of maritime provision
- Stornoway: Scaling of maritime provision; Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8)
- Easter Ross: Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills
- Mallaig: Scaling of maritime provision
- Moray: Offshore wind technician trainee development
- Fort William: Scaling of maritime provision
- Inverness: Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training; Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements; MSc Rural and Urban Planning
- Argyll: New engineering provision : pipeline, MA and OWS contextualisation
- Perth: Scaling fab-weld short course/s flux core MIG/MMA
Enablers
Establishing the 杏吧原创 Regional Offshore Wind Skills Hub with £1m+ Scottish Government investment leveraged by at least £1m of industry co-investment
- Including £500k+ to accelerate development and delivery of training in priority occupational areas where skills gaps are identified
- New flexible employer fund (£275,000)
- New MA and GA Apprenticeship recruitment top鈥憉p payments (£2,000 - £3,000 each)
- New targeted bursaries (40 x £1,500)
Talent and Skills Pipeline
- Regional, co-ordinated scaling of engineering, construction, maritime, offshore wind, hydrogen, renewables and short鈥慸uration courses (杏吧原创)
- Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot (EMEC)
- Offshore wind technician trainee development (杏吧原创 Moray & Natural Power)
- New engineering provision: pipeline, MA and OWS contextualisation (杏吧原创 Argyll)
- Nautical science / cadet programme development (杏吧原创 Shetland & MCA)
- Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training (杏吧原创 Inverness)
- Development of MSc Rural and Urban Planning (杏吧原创 Inverness)
- Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements (杏吧原创 Inverness)
- Scaling of fab weld engineering and offshore skills (杏吧原创 NWH)
- PDA in hydrogen technologies SCQF 8 development (杏吧原创 NWH)
- Scaled maritime provision (杏吧原创 Orkney and 杏吧原创 NWH)
- Design of multi-purpose engineering facility (杏吧原创 Orkney and SSE)
- Hydrogen for ports and harbours training (杏吧原创 Orkney)
- Fabrication and Welding Short Course/s Flux Core MIG/MMA (杏吧原创 Perth)
Contact Us
If you are interested in any of the opportunities associated with the Hub, or if you would like to register your interest in receiving further information as the project develops, please get in touch at:
- Email: skillshub@uhi.ac.uk
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