Green skills, jobs and growth were top of the agenda when electricity network operator, SP Energy Networks, welcomed Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram; Matthew Patrick MP (Wirral West); and Councillor Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Borough Council to its Hoylake training centre recently.
The visitors joined SP Energy Networks (SPEN) CEO, Nicola Connelly and Liam O’ Sullivan, Manweb Licence Director at Hoylake House – the principal ScottishPower training centre serving Merseyside and North Wales.
Hoylake covers all aspects of training for network operations: from initial craft and engineering trainee programmes to advanced electrical protection courses and renewable technologies. This includes training and safety authorisation for more than 100 local employees to enable them to work safely on the electricity network, as well as 300 supply chain contractors who work in the Liverpool City Region.
During the visit, the delegation met some of the 49 trainees currently working in the region, including William Jones, who worked as a fabricator welder for several years before pursuing a new career with SPEN, and army veteran Tony Hunter who is learning how to adapt his military background and skills to help transform the electricity network across the region.
Hoylake will also be the first port of call for 35 new local trainees who will join the business in September as it continues to invest more than £250 million across its Merseyside and Wirral districts between 2023-2028 to deliver the electricity network needed for a cleaner and greener future.
Nicola Connelly, SPEN CEO said: “Over the next 25 years, electricity demand is set to double as people make the move to low-carbon options for transport and heating, with our Merseyside and Wirral districts alone forecast to be home to an incredible one million electric vehicles and heat pumps by 2050. That will require an incredible transformation to our network in the region – much of which was built in the 1960s and 70s.
“That’s why we’re investing hundreds of millions of pounds across our Merseyside and Wirral districts – upgrading substations, cables, overhead lines and equipment, while making use of the latest technology to ensure our network moves with the times and continues to provide a safe, reliable and resilient electricity supply in an all-electric, net zero future.
“This won’t only support the region’s clean energy future – our investment will help unlock jobs and investment and deliver economic growth as we bring in new people, skills and expertise and grow our supply chain to make all of that happen.
“It’s an exciting and pivotal time for our business and I’m sure our visitors will agree that it was fantastic to hear our apprentices and trainees bring that to life and showcase the vital role they will play in delivering a brighter and better future across Liverpool and the north-west.”
Matthew Patrick, MP for Wirral West, said: “Tackling climate change is a generational challenge. I’m determined to make a difference, standing up for the future I know people across our area want to see. I’m proud that the Wirral is at the forefront of the green energy revolution, training people for the jobs of the future as I’ve seen in Hoylake.
“We’re already seeing a change with Labour’s plans to ramp up solar power generation, rolling out our Warm Homes Plan to more parts of the country and investing in new nuclear power.”
Councillor Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Borough Council, added: “It was great to visit the training centre in Hoylake and see the trainees in action. Skills and growth are a big part of our Net Zero ambitions across the Liverpool City Region, so to see and hear SPEN’s ambitions towards this was really encouraging. Not only will the future investment support growth in renewable energy but will also see our residents benefit from good job opportunities too, which is fantastic. We cannot tackle climate change alone, it’s important that we work with partners and residents across the city region to make the biggest difference.”