As Sizewell C continues to gather momentum on the Suffolk coast, the project team have been stepping up efforts to ensure local people benefit from the thousands of job opportunities that will be available during the construction and operation of the power station.
The project has previously pledged that at least a third of the 7,900 peak construction workforce – around 2,600 jobs – will come from East Anglia.
Last month, it pledged to deliver 500 jobs for people in Ipswich during construction of the nuclear power plant – part of a new agreement with the town’s MP Jack Abbott. It was the first in a series of regional commitments that will ensure local people are guaranteed to benefit from the jobs that will be available.
Sizewell C Jobs Service shows all available jobs on the project and its supply chain.
More than 1,300 young people have already signed up to the ‘Young Sizewell C’ initiative, which aims to raise young people’s aspirations and help them gain important opportunities on the project.
READ MORE: Moving at pace – Sizewell C is making progress on the Suffolk coast
Last month, Sizewell C launched a new jobs fair series in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), attracting over 200 people in Leiston.
“It was a packed event – and a really clear demonstration of the local appetite for jobs," Chris said. "We’ll be running more of the fairs across the region soon, alongside local jobs advertising, sponsoring skills fairs and other locally-focused activity to keep awareness high.
“We’re also working with local charities and bodies across the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors – organisations like Inspire, Access Community Trust, and Project 21 – so that we can access the hardest-to-reach groups in the region.
"It’s really important to us that these jobs are open to all – and the only way to do that is to tap into the experts in the region who can help us share the information.”
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Local education institutions are also key to the success of local recruitment and skill development.
Sizewell C has provided a £23m fund to improve skills and enhance facilities and resources in local colleges, Higher Education and training providers. It also has close relationships with numerous schools and colleges, including Alde Valley Academy, the University of Suffolk and Suffolk One.
Around 200 schools have so far accessed its Power Up education resources, while the project reached more than 15,000 students through 124 events in the last academic year.
“By raising awareness amongst local young people early and by developing the skills on our doorstep, that’s not only going to benefit Sizewell C,” Chris said. “It will leave a lasting legacy for this region too.”
It has also opened a brand-new employability hub in Lowestoft called Nucleus, in partnership with East Coast College. Located at the college’s Lowestoft Campus, Nucleus will bring together services, training and employability expertise to reach an untapped local workforce, providing pathways into employment, offering more opportunities to develop skills and find employment opportunities.
“These are transformative initiatives for the region, but there’s much more to come,” says Chris. “It’s exciting to see so many local people taking up these opportunities right here in Suffolk.”
For more information, visit sizewellc.com/jobs
This article is part of the EADT's Clean & Green campaign, which aims to promote our region as the biggest in the UK and Europe for all forms of renewable energy.
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