A new Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has been unveiled today, designed to equip workers in the North East with the necessary skills to move into green jobs within sectors such as offshore wind, onshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture. This initiative aims to support approximately 200 oil and gas workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, providing them with careers advice and funding for relevant training.

The fund is a collaborative effort, designed and developed by the Scottish Government, working in partnership with the UK Government’s £900,000 Regional Skills Pilot for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. It will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland, Scotland's national skills agency, and has received an additional £40,000 in support from the Scottish Government.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin emphasised the importance of leveraging existing expertise: "The North East has long been a titan in the oil and gas industry and the valuable expertise within our workforce must be at the heart of the transition to new fuels and sustainable energy." She added her determination to ensure a "positive impact and powerful legacy of Scotland’s clean energy revolution which benefits communities across the North East of the country."

-- Advertisement --

The Scottish Government has already invested over £120 million into the North East’s transition to net zero through initiatives like the Just Transition Fund and the Energy Transition Fund, focusing on creating green jobs, supporting innovation, and securing a highly skilled future workforce.

Frank Mitchell, Chair of Skills Development Scotland, highlighted the critical role of the oil and gas workforce: "Scotland’s oil and gas workforce possesses a broad range of skills and experience which is vital to the continued growth of the renewable energy sector. The shift to sustainable energy generation and transmission represents a generational opportunity, and this funding will assist workers in making the most of their expertise in that growing sector."

UK Government Minister for Energy Michael Shanks reiterated the commitment to a fair transition: "Aberdeen has been the energy capital of Britain for decades and while oil and gas will be with us for decades to come, we are determined to make sure that workers are supported to access the thousands of jobs in industries such as offshore wind and carbon capture. This funding will help deliver a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea, unlocking the full potential of renewable energy and reaping the economic benefits from the skills and experiences of Aberdeen’s workforce."

The programme underscores a joint government effort to facilitate a smooth and beneficial transition for the region's energy sector workforce.