About the Hub
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has secured Scottish Government funding to establish an Offshore Wind Skills Hub – a coordinated, industry led programme to build a skilled offshore wind workforce across the Highlands and Islands.
Working with seven UHI partners and EMEC, the Hub will expand training access, support employer recruitment and upskilling, and deliver provision aligned to ScotWind, INTOG and Green Freeport opportunities.
The programme will build regional capacity in priority occupations to meet current and future demand, scaling provision in engineering, electrical, fabrication, maritime and infrastructure roles.
Through direct financial support including employer incentives, flexible funding and learner bursaries, it will stimulate demand, scale short‑duration training, and create clear pathways into offshore wind careers. The Hub will also develop future provision and pathways, ensuring long‑term regional capability for offshore wind and emerging technologies.
Projects
- Shetland: Cadet Programme development
- Thurso: Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8) development
- Orkney: Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot; Design of multi-purpose engineering facility; Hydrogen for Ports and Harbours training; Scaling of maritime provision
- Stornoway: Scaling of maritime provision; Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills; PDA in Hydrogen Technologies (SCQF 8)
- Easter Ross; Scaling of fab-weld, engineering and offshore skills
- Mallaig; Scaling of maritime provision
- Moray; Offshore wind technician trainee development
- Fort William; Scaling of maritime provision
- Inverness; Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training; Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements; MSc Rural and Urban Planning
- Argyll; New engineering provision : pipeline, MA and OSW contextualisation
- Perth; Scaling fab-weld short course/s flux core MIG/MMA
Enablers
Establishing the UHI Regional Offshore Wind Skills Hub with £1m+ Scottish Government investment leveraged by at least £1m of industry co-investment
- Including £500k+ to accelerate development and delivery of training in priority occupational areas where skills gaps are identified
- New flexible employer fund (£275,000)
- New MA and GA Apprenticeship recruitment top‑up payments (£2,000 - £3,000 each)
- New targeted bursaries (40 x £1,500)
Talent and Skills Pipeline
- Regional, co-ordinated scaling of engineering, construction, maritime, offshore wind, hydrogen, renewables and short‑duration courses (UHI)
- Shared Technician Training Scheme Pilot (EMEC)
- Offshore wind technician trainee development (UHI Moray & Natural Power)
- New engineering provision: pipeline, MA and OSW contextualisation (UHI Argyll)
- Nautical science / cadet programme development (UHI Shetland & MCA)
- Expansion of offshore wind and energy short duration training (UHI Inverness)
- Development of MSc Rural and urban planning (UHI Inverness)
- Expansion of Apprenticeship+ enhancements (UHI Inverness)
- Scaling of fab weld engineering and offshore skills (UHI NWH)
- PDA in hydrogen technologies SCQF 8 development (UHI NWH)
- Scaled maritime provision (UHI Orkney and UHI NWH)
- Design of multi-purpose engineering facility (UHI Orkney and SSE)
- Hydrogen for ports and harbours training (UHI Orkney)
- Fabrication and Welding Short Course/s Flux Core MIG/MMA (UHI Perth)