Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan meet renewable energy apprentices in Blyth

Ms Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero visited EDF Renewables’ facility at the Port of Blyth and met with engineering apprentices working on Blyth Wind Farm.

She heard about the trainees’ experience of finding an apprenticeship, learning on the job, and working in the industry.

During the discussion with the apprentices, the minister said: “What I think is really exciting, but is a bit more difficult, is the jobs that are being created by this overall new low-carbon industry are popping up in places that actually did not have a lot of jobs like that before.

“These jobs are really well paid. They are jobs of the future, so you know you have a lot of certainty, so they are very attractive.

“That is what I think is really great because then lots of people who maybe would never have thought of anything to do with energy are now looking at this and going ‘I want to do that’.

“Honestly, if I was your age, I would so be doing jobs in energy. I just think it is a no-brainer.”

Ms Coutinho added: “That is the amazing thing about coming to Blyth. We were looking at all the different places we could go and there are so many places that I want to go and see because there is so much happening.”

The Energy Secretary was later joined by Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy and the Secretary of State for Education, who had earlier visited the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult facility, also located at the port.

Ms Keegan met with apprentices there who worked with ORE Catapult and its partners before taking a look at the Energy Central Learning Hub, a vocational training centre under construction on the quayside which will offer courses focused on the offshore industry.

There she met trainees from the Port of Blyth and from Dogger Bank Wind Farm developer Equinor. The visit was organised in celebration of national apprenticeship week.

Following the discussion at EDF, the politicians headed out to the wind farm, which is located half a mile offshore, to have an up-close look at the project.