Agent Academy is teaming up with industrial decarbonisation project HyNet project to help address the North West’s pressing green skills gap.
HyNet is a trailblazing low carbon energy endeavour which aims to transform industry across the North West and North Wales by generating low carbon hydrogen to replace fossil fuels and capturing carbon dioxide.
The ambitious project, scheduled to catalyse sector decarbonisation starting from the mid-2020’s, positions the North West as a global leader in the industry transition to net zero.
Recent data from Cogent Skills highlights the critical need for an increase in young people’s interest in green jobs. The report underscores a concerning trend: Apprenticeship starts in engineering and manufacturing have nosedived from over 75,000 in 2016, to just 49,000 in 2021/22. This sharp decrease poses a formidable challenge for the country’s net zero ambitions, underlining the pressing need for an upsurge in young talent’s interest in green careers.
In response to this urgent need, talent development specialist Agent Academy, known for its fully funded 12-week Rise programme, is collaborating with Progressive Energy and HyNet with an aim to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving net zero workforce.
Agent Academy is dedicated to equipping young people in the region with the skills, knowledge and industry connections necessary for pursuing careers in marketing, digital and creative fields. These skills are built through a real-life client challenge, where the learners get to lead on a marketing project.
The marketing and communications challenge presented to the Agent Academy learners by Progressive Energy is to conduct extensive research and engagement with young people, educators, and industry leaders, with a view to propose recommendations to HyNet to help attract prospective talent to emerging roles within HyNet and the broader net zero ambitions of the North West and North Wales.
Zoe Wallace, director of Agent Academy, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with HyNet on this crucial project, to help meet the needs of the rapidly evolving net zero workforce. This challenge is aimed to prepare the region’s young talent for the challenges of the net zero skills space.
“This is an incredible opportunity to ensure that young people understand and engage with the high value, green career opportunities in the North West.”
Progressive Energy’s HyNet project manager Rachel Sutton added: “We are very excited to be working with Agent Academy and benefitting from the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas of new, creative marketing talent.
“Young individuals today will become the driving force behind the HyNet project, shaping the future of the North West and North Wales. As the industrial heart of the UK, we are actively engaging with the next generation to secure our region’s success in a net-zero future.”
