UK holds first Clean Energy Jobs Fair at Port of Tyne

If you arrived at the Port of Tyne this morning, you would have found more than 100 schoolchildren and college students asking practical questions about offshore wind, carbon capture and grid jobs. This was the government’s first Clean Energy Jobs Fair, co‑hosted with the North East Mayor and the Port itself on Thursday 11 December 2025. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) says it is the first of several events planned around the country.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Minister for Industry Chris McDonald met learners and employers on the quayside. For our readers, the takeaway is simple: the clean energy build‑out isn’t abstract any more; it’s a timetable of roles you can train for locally. DESNZ’s jobs plan forecasts thousands more North East roles over the next five years, with fairs like this used to match young people and career‑changers to real vacancies.

Why the North East? Because this coast has been doing the work for decades. Blyth hosted the UK’s first offshore wind turbines back in 2000-25 years ago this month-kick‑starting a national industry. Today, the East Coast carbon capture cluster centred on Teesside has government‑backed projects moving to construction, with initial investment directly supporting around 2,000 jobs in the region. What it means: the supply of local clean energy work isn’t theoretical-it’s already arriving.

Routes in were front and centre. Newcastle College’s Energy Academy in Wallsend teaches subsea and renewable engineering with hands‑on kit, while Middlesbrough College and bp have teamed up to shape a new energy apprenticeship for Teesside operations technicians. The Clean Energy Jobs Plan also commits to five Clean Energy Technical Excellence Colleges to specialise in industry‑aligned training. What it means: you can start with college, an apprenticeship or a higher technical course and still end up on a turbine, in a cable factory or in a control room.

The numbers matter for planning your next step. DESNZ expects clean energy to support 860,000 UK jobs by 2030-about 400,000 more than today-and highlights 31 priority occupations where demand is tight, including electricians, welders and plumbers. Early‑career roles in many green occupations pay an average premium of about 23% compared with similar jobs in other sectors. What it means: you don’t always need a degree to access well‑paid work in this field.

The location tells its own story. The 230‑acre Tyne Clean Energy Park is midway through a £150 million upgrade to add deep‑water quay space and industrial plots for wind and grid supply‑chain firms. Independent estimates suggest the expansion could enable up to 12,000 jobs over time, with Port of Tyne pitching the site as a national base for offshore wind marshalling and component manufacture. What it means: training now lines up with real local facilities.

Policy moved on today as well. Great British Energy opened a £300 million Supply Chain Fund for offshore wind and electricity networks to grow UK manufacturing of critical parts-think blades, nacelles, high‑voltage cables and transformers. The fund launched on 11 December 2025 and runs to December 2026 for applications, with grants drawn down from April 2026 to March 2030. What it means: firms that hire you will have fresh capital to build here, not overseas.

So how do you turn interest into a plan? Start by mapping a route that fits your timeline. If you’re 16–19, colleges and new Technical Excellence Colleges will focus on clean energy pathways. If you’re switching careers, apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps can get you site‑ready faster, with new flexibilities in the apprenticeship levy from academic year 2025–26 to support shorter, targeted training. Keep an eye on employers’ requirements and build maths, digital and safety certifications early.

You also heard from employers. National Grid’s North Sea Link team talked up apprenticeships as a “hands‑on” route into operations and maintenance. Siemens Energy, RWE, JDR Cables and Shepherd Offshore all used the fair to point out immediate technician and project roles, plus longer‑term careers in construction and research. What it means: ask for site visits, taster days and mentoring-today’s introductions often become next year’s job offers.

Finally, what to watch next. DESNZ trailed more fairs nationwide, and local leaders said the region could see up to 15,000 extra clean energy jobs within five years, with ambitions rising to roughly 24,000 by 2035. For classrooms, this is a live case study in how national policy, college provision and port investment connect to the opportunities you can actually apply for. Bring questions, bring your CV-and bring your tutor.