Help Shape Future Provision
The UHI Offshore Wind Skills Hub will give employers the opportunity to help shape and deliver the skills needed for our growing offshore wind sector. By engaging with the Hub, you can influence future training provision, access workforce development and upskilling opportunities, offer placements and industry experiences for students, and collaborate with UHI on projects that address current and future workforce needs.
Funding Available for Employers and Individuals
The Hub will support the development of skills in areas including engineering, fabrication and welding, electrical systems, maritime operations, hydrogen and related infrastructure roles, reflecting an occupation and skills‑based approach intended to build regional workforce capacity for offshore wind and related energy transition sectors. The Hub will run a range of initiatives designed to support employers and learners to access specialist skills development while reducing the financial barriers associated with recruitment, training and career progression.
Flexible Employer Fund
The Flexible Employer Fund will provide businesses with up to 50% contribution towards the cost of eligible short-duration training and upskilling programmes aligned to offshore wind and energy transition skills. The fund is expected to support approximately 275 training awards across the region.
Benefits for your business:
- Up to 50% match funding towards workforce training costs
- Support for upskilling and reskilling existing employees
- Access to specialist engineering, fabrication, construction, maritime and renewable energy training
- Reduced training costs, particularly for SMEs
- Opportunity to respond quickly to emerging skills needs and project opportunities
The fund has been designed to support employers to invest in workforce development at a time when rising operational costs can make training more challenging.
Apprentice Recruitment Incentive
The Apprentice Recruitment Incentive will provide financial support to employers creating new Modern and Graduate apprenticeship opportunities in priority offshore wind and engineering-related roles.
Support available includes:
- £3,000 per net new apprentice recruited
- £3,000 for any new apprentices from under-represented groups
The support targeted towards engineering, electrical, fabrication, civil engineering and related technical occupations.
Benefits for your business:
- Reduced recruitment and training costs
- Support to develop your future workforce pipeline
- Financial assistance during the highest cost early stages of employment
- Opportunity to attract a more diverse workforce
- Enhanced ability to recruit apprentices despite economic and operational pressures
The programme aims to support at least 42 additional apprenticeship opportunities across the region.
Targeted Learner Bursaries
To help ensure local people can access emerging opportunities in the offshore wind sector, the programme will also provide bursaries of up to £1,500 for eligible learners. More than 40 bursary awards are planned.
The bursaries will prioritise:
- Women entering engineering and technical sectors
- Rural and island residents
- Career changers, including those transitioning from oil and gas
- Individuals facing financial or geographic barriers to training and employment
Benefits for learners:
- Support with travel, accommodation and subsistence costs
- Assistance with equipment and training expenses
- Greater opportunity to progress into apprenticeships, further study or employment
- Reduced barriers to participation for remote and rural communities
- Access to the Offshore Wind industry employers and future opportunities
Other ways you can become involved
These initiatives form part of a wider regional approach to building a skilled, diverse and sustainable workforce for the offshore wind sector and wider energy transition opportunities across the Highlands and Islands. We are seeking support from employers and industry partners to help ensure that training provision reflects real workforce needs and creates meaningful pathways into employment. You can help by:
- Joining an Employer Advisory Group
- Providing input into curriculum design and skills requirements
- Supporting students through mentoring
- Offering guest talks, masterclasses or industry insights
- Supporting project based learning activities
- Recruiting apprentices or participating in apprenticeship enhancement activity
- Participating in the Flexible Employer Fund
- Supporting transition opportunities for workers moving from adjacent sectors
- Contributing equipment, facilities or specialist expertise
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