A new partnership between SeAH Wind and Hartlepool College of Further Education will create a pathway for young people on Teesside to gain a skilled career in the UK’s fast-growing alternative energy sector.

The exciting opportunity to work and develop at SeAH Wind’s new giant Teesside site is in place for those who enrol on Hartlepool College’s welding course in September 2023.
SeAH Wind are initially looking to take on 14 apprentices (eight welders, four platers, a mechanical fitter and an electrician), as part of their recruitment strategy.

A number of those studying on the full-time fabrication and welding course from September will initially be offered a 12-week scholarship, including a weekly bursary allowance.

Following completion of the initial 12-week scholarship, the apprentices will be offered formal apprenticeships with the South Korean-owned business, who are building the world’s largest bespoke XXXL monopile factory at Teesworks.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “The SeAH facility at Teesworks will deliver great opportunities for local workers and it’s essential we provide young people with the right skills to take advantage of the jobs on offer.

“I have always said that creating thousands of jobs means nothing if local people cannot access them, and that is why we need to redouble our efforts to make sure our young people have the training that allows them to go far by staying local.

“This partnership will use local training expertise to deliver on this promise to help people get into the high-skilled, well-paid jobs which the low-carbon industries coming to the site will provide to the people of Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool.”

Matthew Hart, SeAH Wind’s Human Resources Manager, said: “Here at SeAH Wind, we see the development of local young people as a crucial element of our recruitment strategy.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education to create opportunities for local people to gain a skilled career within our organisation.

“Traditionally fabrication and welding has been male dominated, and we would like our apprenticeship programme to break that mould – therefore we will be working with Hartlepool College of Further Education to attract a diverse cohort of apprentices.

“From the moment we first met with the management team at the College, and visited their excellent facilities, we knew that this was the place to develop our apprenticeship programme.”

SeAH Wind’s giant £450m Teesside Freeport site will be the largest of its kind in the world when completed, at more than 800m in length and more than 40m high.

It will offer 1.13m sq ft of high-quality factory space for the production of XXXL Monopiles which will be up to 150m in length, 15.5m in diameter and weighing over 3,000 tons.

Monopiles are the foundations for offshore wind turbines and are a key component in the offshore wind industry.

The 90-acre site forms part of the UK’s fast-growing alternative energy sector and sees the creation of 1,500 supply chain and construction jobs, along with a further 750 roles when the site is fully operational.

SeAH Wind’s offshore turbine base factory intends to boast a workforce predominantly recruited from the local area and Hartlepool College is looking forward to having a role to play for the long term.

Gary Riches, Hartlepool College’s Assistant Principal, said: “We are incredibly pleased to be working in partnership with SeAH Wind, helping to create their workforce as they set up in the Tees Valley.

“We are delighted to have earned the right to work with SeAH Wind, we have exceptional staff at the College who have incredibly high expectations of our learners and go above and beyond to ensure they are given the right knowledge, skills and qualifications to allow them to progress into the world of work.

“We work incredibly hard on our learners’ behaviours, attitude and confidence too, which I’m sure was noticed by the staff from SeAH Wind who have visited the College.
“We feel the way we operate as a College aligns with SeAH’s values; we are honest, passionate and professional.

“We look forward to a very long and transformational relationship with SeAH Wind, providing the potential for a job for life due to the workload the organisation has.
“It is brilliant to think we will train people who could stay in the Tees Valley throughout their career with this programme.”

The 12-week scholarship programme will lead to SeAH Wind’s apprentices being recruited from there. Those apprentices will stay within the College until September 2024 and during the second year of their apprenticeship they will go into the workplace and develop their skills on-the-job.

Gary added: “This provides an opportunity for full-time learners to put themselves in front of an international organisation.

“Those deemed to have the work ethic that aligns to SeAH Wind’s values will be firm favourites to secure one of the apprenticeship vacancies. It is exciting for all involved.”

*Anyone interested in securing a place on the SeAH Wind scholarship programme should email a CV and cover letter to seahscholarship@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk