Colchester Institute secures Clean Energy Technical Excellence College status

Colchester Institute secures Clean Energy Technical Excellence College status

Colchester Institute has been selected as as a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College (CETEC) by the UK government.

The college has been chosen as one of 19 new Technical Excellence Colleges in the country, with the status coming with a share of £175 million funding.

In collaboration with delivery partners Suffolk New College, East Coast College and City College Norwich, the new CETEC will engage with a wider network of education providers from across the East of England and nationally, to meet the growing demand for clean energy skills.

This is aligned to Essex and the wider eastern region’s growing strengths in clean energy, including offshore wind, nuclear, solar, domestic renewables and grid infrastructure.

Working closely with industry partners including Freeport East, Sizewell C, EDF, EEEGR and EastWind, the CETEC will ensure training is directly shaped by employer demand and future workforce needs.

Alison Andreas, Principal and Chief Executive of Colchester Institute, said: “This designation comes at a critical time for the East of England, where up to 60,000 clean energy jobs are expected by 2030.

“As a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College, we have both the opportunity and responsibility to work with employers and partners to develop the skilled workforce needed to meet that demand. The CETEC will play a central role in turning that ambition into reality.”

The CETEC application was led by Vice Principal Mark Emerson, who will now lead on turning the plans into reality.

He said: “This is about bringing a system together. Through the CETEC, we have the opportunity to align colleges, employers and partners around a shared goal, delivering the skills needed for clean energy at scale, while reducing duplication and making it easier for employers to engage.”