GE Renewable Energy has appointed 14 offshore wind turbine generator technician apprentices, alongside Redcar and Cleveland College, to help cater for demands of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm project.

Nathan Fahey and Peter Dixon, GE’s project director and deputy project director, who are leading GE’s involvement in the Dogger Bank Wind Farm project are both from Teesside, so this has proven a unique opportunity to leave a legacy in the area.

Nathan said: “Investing in future talent seemed like the ideal way to make a tangible difference right here in the Tees Valley.”

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“These are incredible apprenticeships that will see the learners trained in both mechanical and electrical engineering, making them well rounded installation technicians and opening up so many future opportunities for them.”

Having installed projects all over the world with General Electric, Nathan, who is originally from Redcar, and deputy project director Peter from Hartlepool, explained that they have never had the opportunity to deliver a project so close to home.

Peter said: “We both jumped at the chance to be back in the region where we are from and wanted to make sure we left a lasting legacy by investing in the area’s young people.”

Among the new recruits is Ryan Stubbs, a dad-of-five from Redcar.who said: “Engineering is something that I have always wanted to do, so this is an amazing opportunity for me.”

A former SSI worker, the 33-year-old has spent the last few years self-employed as a handyman. It was after the Covid-19 lockdowns struck and work dried up that he thought about retraining as an electrician and is now studying a HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, at the college.

GE Renewable Energy is supplying wind turbines to Dogger Bank Wind Farm, delivered in three phases by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn.

Redcar and Cleveland College’s principal Jason Faulkner said: “It is fantastic to be working with GE Renewable Energy to bring these opportunities to these learners. The future career chances this has the potential to bring, opportunities in building, commissioning and maintaining equipment on and offshore, and the potential to go on to install projects all over the world, is remarkable.”