Hinkley Point C, Britain’s largest low-carbon energy project, has announced it will create 3,000 new jobs in Somerset as it approaches peak construction.
Around 1,500 of those are expected to be building the new power station.
The number of apprentices trained has passed a new milestone of 1,500 — 500 more than the original target, 70 per cent of which are in the South West.
Many of the new jobs at Hinkley Point C will support the fit-out of the power station with miles of pipes and cables and equipment.
Other roles will be created to support the workforce, among a wide variety of jobs on offer.
A report by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) last year, revealed 251,000 extra construction workers are required by 2028 to meet demand.
The report found 31 per cent of construction employers finding suitably skilled staff remained a key challenge.
Hinkley has three training “Centres of Excellence” in Bridgwater and Cannington to help local people join the project.
More than 8,000 people have already been trained in welding, electrical, and mechanical skills.
In December, workers installed Britain’s first new nuclear reactor for more than 30 years at Hinkley Point C.
The reactor is the first to be installed at a British power station since Sizewell B’s in 1991 and at full capacity, Hinkley Point C will provide power to the equivalent of six million homes over 60 years.
Hinkley Point C, through new support, will build on initiatives like the £9 million accommodation fund to help deliver new affordable housing, with 4,000 additional bed spaces in local towns.
Its Community Fund has provided more than £16 million to local projects and community groups.
Stuart Crooks, managing director of Hinkley Point C, said: “As a former apprentice, I know the impact that training can have in transforming lives for the better.
I am determined that we will provide as many opportunities as possible to help people from Somerset and the South West benefit from our project.”
Minister of state for energy security and net zero Lord Hunt said: “Apprenticeships are incredibly important in equipping thousands of people with the skills needed to take up a career for life in the nuclear sector.”
Megan Ellicott, 22, final year pipefitting apprentice, said: “Ever since leaving school, I always knew this was the line of work that I wanted to be in.
“Being able to follow in the footsteps of my family who have worked on both the Hinkley A and B sites is a proud moment for me and I’ll be able to tell people that I helped build Hinkley Point C.”
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