The world’s most advanced immersive Hybrid Reality (iHR) offshore wind training system — originally commissioned for the Great Exhibition of the North — has been installed at Newcastle College’s Energy Academy (www.ncl-coll.ac.uk) in Wallsend
to help train future engineers.

Delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult (www.ore.catapult.org.uk) in partnership with Scotland’s Energy Skills Partnership, Heriot Watt University and Animmersion VR, the ‘state of the art’ virtual-reality system replicates the working conditions experienced by wind turbine engineers operating on offshore wind farms.

It allows users to find and diagnose faults, in a realistic but safe environment, which helps them to develop the skills needed to work in the wind industry.

Tony Quinn, ORE Catapult operations director, said: “The iHR installation at Newcastle College is a huge step in skills development for the next generation of offshore wind technicians. We are delighted to see this project come to fruition at a dedicated training facility, provided by a high-quality education and skills provider here in the North East.”

The innovative technology will allow Newcastle College to support the region’s growing energy sector, as part of the UK’s aim to create 27,000 skilled jobs in the industry by 2030.

Marc McPake, director of business partnerships, said: “Newcastle College has always been aligned to North East LEP priorities, and our training and development here at the Energy Academy is centred around the skills required by industry.

"Collaboration with employers is at the centre of everything we do, and our partnership with ORE Catapult is a fantastic example of a relationship that will benefit our students and an entire industry.”