On Thursday 11 December, the Port of Tyne hosted the UK’s first Clean Energy Jobs Fair. More than 100 pupils and students met employers, colleges and universities showcasing real roles across offshore wind, grid upgrades, carbon capture and low‑carbon manufacturing. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband joined Minister for Industry Chris McDonald and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to open the event.

Officials say the North East could see up to 15,000 additional clean‑energy jobs within five years, with the Tyne event the first in a national series under the government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan. The region’s strengths include Blyth’s pioneering offshore wind legacy and the East Coast carbon capture cluster, expected to directly support around 2,000 roles.

The talent pipeline is already forming. Newcastle College’s Energy Academy delivers subsea and renewables training, while Middlesbrough College is working with BP to prepare operators for carbon capture and hydrogen roles. New Technical Excellence Colleges announced this autumn will add capacity in priority clean‑energy skills from 2026, complementing local provision and targeted skills pilots.

For those starting out, the pay signal is strong. Government analysis indicates entry‑level roles across most clean‑energy occupations pay about 23% more than the same roles in other sectors, with advertised averages in wind, nuclear and electricity networks above £50,000 compared with a UK average of roughly £37,000.

Today also marked the opening of Great British Energy’s £300 million Supply Chain Fund for offshore wind and enabling networks. The scheme targets constrained components-such as blades, towers, cables and nacelles-to expand UK manufacturing, mobilise over £1 billion of investment and create jobs across industrial clusters. Applications opened on 11 December 2025 and can run through 10 December 2026 unless funding is fully allocated earlier; successful projects will draw down grants between April 2026 and March 2030. That schedule lines up with major build‑outs in wind and network upgrades this decade.

Port of Tyne’s 230‑acre Tyne Clean Energy Park-already backed by more than £150 million-aims to anchor this jobs wave. An independent WSP assessment suggests the redevelopment, including 400 metres of new deep‑water quayside, could support up to 12,000 jobs and £5.6 billion in economic impact over time. The port now underpins flagship projects. Equinor’s Dogger Bank operations base is expected to sustain over 200 direct jobs, and Ørsted has selected the Tyne for Hornsea 3 marshalling. The North East’s role is rooted in history: Blyth hosted the UK’s first offshore wind turbines a quarter‑century ago.

Beyond press‑office numbers, official statistics point to structural growth. The Office for National Statistics estimates the UK’s low‑carbon and renewable energy economy employed around 314,300 full‑time equivalents in 2023, up 11.5% year‑on‑year; a broader ONS ‘green jobs’ measure counted about 639,400 FTEs in 2022.

Industry forecasts echo the scaling challenge. RenewableUK and the Offshore Wind Industry Council put the wind workforce at more than 55,000 today, including 40,000 in offshore wind, and project 74,000 to 95,000 offshore roles by 2030 depending on deployment and supply‑chain growth.

For students and career‑changers, the route in is becoming clearer. Start with local providers like Newcastle College’s Energy Academy or Middlesbrough College, then look for apprenticeships with employers operating on the Tyne. The government’s plan extends the energy skills passport into nuclear and grid roles, helping experienced workers move across without repeating training.

For manufacturers and developers, the near‑term opportunity is to apply for the Great British Energy fund with projects that add domestic capacity in constrained components. New workforce criteria and a forthcoming Fair Work Charter in grants and contracts signal clear expectations on pay, training and job quality across the sector.

Delivery also relies on faster connections and strategic grid investment. The National Energy System Operator’s reforms to clear project queues and Ofgem’s early backing for subsea ‘superhighways’ aim to cut curtailment costs and speed build‑out-moves that should strengthen the business case for North East manufacturing.