Latest news with #Sizewell
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meet the jobs matchmaker filling roles at Sizewell C
Stuart Allsopp has met hundreds of local job seekers over the last year. As Jobs Service lead at Sizewell C, he's one of the team responsible for making sure that opportunities at the project are matched up with people in the local area. 'There is a massive appetite for jobs in this region, and people are coming out to our Sizewell C jobs fair in big numbers,' said Stuart. 'My role is all about trying to deliver those jobs to people, to connect them with the best opportunities for them. It's what I love doing.' Sizewell C offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for jobs and careers in this region. Of the 1,500 apprenticeships the project is creating, 540 will go to local people. At least a third of the 7,900 jobs on offer during the peak of construction will go to people in this region. And once constructed, the power station will employ 900 people in highly skilled, well-paid jobs. 'We've got to make sure people are aware of the thousands of opportunities on offer,' said Stuart. 'And that means going out and putting the opportunities in front of them.' READ MORE: How Sizewell C is aiming to provide world-class wellbeing support Sizewell C has so far run jobs fairs in Leiston, Lowestoft and Ipswich, with a second jobs fair in each town to come later in the year. 'We signed jobs pledges with Jack Abbott MP in Ipswich and Jess Asato MP in Lowestoft, so these jobs fairs are one way we're delivering on those pledges. And we've already seen so many good news stories coming out of these events – of local people linking up with new jobs, either directly on the project or with one of the businesses in our supply chain. Engineering apprentices at Sizewell C (Image: Sizewell C) 'It's such a satisfying feeling when you can match up someone with a job – that's no small thing, that's about improving people's lives. And that is happening on an ever-increasing scale because of this project. It's amazing.' As well as jobs fairs and local advertising, the Sizewell C Jobs Service has been a successful way of making people aware of all the opportunities available. 'We want to make it easy for people and the Jobs Service does that. People can sign up on our website to get notifications of the latest opportunities – and we put all our vacancies on the website too, both roles directly with us and with our supply chain partners. There are well over a hundred opportunities live on the website at any one time.' READ MORE: How Sizewell C is bringing hydrogen buses to Suffolk Last week, Sizewell C announced that it was taking transformative steps to develop the skilled workforce it needs to build the power station: it's set to build a new post-16 college for Leiston, in partnership with Suffolk New College, as well as an apprenticeship and trainee hub to support hundreds of Sizewell C apprentices, and a Centre of Excellence focused on developing skills in civils, mechanical, electrical, welding and more. 'It's going to be phenomenal,' said Stuart. 'The difference it will make to young people in the Leiston area is difficult to overestimate – having those facilities on their doorstep will mean hundreds of young people can get the training, the skills, and the career pathways they want, without having to do an hour and half trip to a college out of town. The Jobs Service is a great way of keeping up to date with opportunities on the project (Image: Sizewell C) 'In the short term, that means an even bigger pool of local talent for me to match up with roles here at Sizewell C. In the longer term, it means we can develop the skills and retain those skills for Suffolk here well into the future – it's a legacy in the truest meaning of the word.' READ MORE: How Sizewell C is restoring Suffolk's Sandlings landscape The next jobs fair is in Ipswich in August, and Stuart is expecting hundreds more people to come along as jobs on the project continue to increase. 'We had over a thousand people on site at the start of the year and we expect double that by the end of the year. We've got over 60 apprentices already and we expect to double that by the end of the year too. 'There is the supply of jobs to meet the clear demand we're seeing across the region – and this will have a positive ripple effect across our local economies. It's a joy to be involved in.' For more information, visit This article is part of the EADT's Clean & Green campaign, which aims to promote our region as the biggest in the UK and Europe for all forms of renewable energy.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ipswich MP Jack Abbott asks Starmer to get on with Sizewell go-ahead decision
Work linked to the construction of Sizewell C is already under way in the Leiston area (Image: Paul Geater) Ipswich MP Jack Abbott urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to speed up a decision to go ahead with Sizewell C in the House of Commons. Mr Abbott said during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday the project would create hundreds of jobs in his constituency and thousands more widely. Sir Keir welcomed his work trying to get more jobs for the area - and said the previous government had been too slow in pressing ahead with the project. He added that the Labour government was "pro-nuclear, pro-growth and pro-jobs". Jack Abbott raised Sizewell at PMQs (Image: Roger Harris) ADVERTISEMENT Mr Abbott said: 'For young people in Ipswich, there is no shortage of ambition - just a need for greater opportunities. 'Last autumn, I was proud to sign an agreement with Sizewell C, guaranteeing 500 jobs for people in Ipswich, alongside additional investment for Suffolk New College's courses on welding, engineering, and fabrication - so kids in our town can access the well-paid, secure and skilled employment on offer. 'That's why I urged the Prime Minister to support a Final Investment Decision for Sizewell C at Prime Minister's Questions today - not just for our country's energy security, but also for the once-in-a-generation opportunities for young people in Ipswich and Suffolk.' A final decision on whether to go ahead with Sizewell C is expected to be announced in the next few weeks in the run-up to the government's comprehensive spending review. However millions of pounds have already been spent on the project in the area around Leiston and along the Suffolk coast and it would be a major surprise if it does not get the go-ahead.
The Independent
19-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ministers told to ‘stop pussyfooting around' and end nuclear block in Scotland
UK ministers have been told to 'stop pussyfooting around' and work to end the block on nuclear power from the Scottish Government. While Scotland has a long history of electricity generation from nuclear, its sole remaining nuclear power station is at Torness, where operations have been extended to 2030. The Scottish Government is against the building of any new nuclear power plants. Scottish Labour peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock told the House of Lords earlier this week that, while he respects the role of the the executive in Holyrood, it is time to end the blockers. He said on Tuesday: 'Surely now is the time to stop pussyfooting around when the Scottish Government say that they are quite willing to accept, in the future, electricity generated by nuclear in England? 'Given that energy is a reserved area, surely we should look at ways of stopping the blockers in Scotland, as well as in the rest of the United Kingdom.' Former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean added: ' Power devolved is power retained. 'If the Scottish Government are not acting in the interests of the United Kingdom, with their opposition to nuclear power and to oil and gas, that will create great difficulties for the rest of the United Kingdom. 'Has the minister considered taking back the power from them to prevent the appropriate infrastructure needs of the country as a whole?' Energy minister Lord Hunt of King's Heath said: 'In Scotland, nationally significant infrastructure projects, including nuclear, are broadly reserved. 'However, Scottish ministers have devolved executive competence for planning decisions for improving applications to build, operate or modify electricity-generating stations with capacities exceeding 50 megawatts in Scotland. We are not in a position to make a change to that.' He added: 'I do not think it is the case that we should reopen the devolution settlement… 'I think it is clear that, overall, new nuclear has a huge role to play in the baseload that it can provide and in clean power. 'The move towards the final investment decision on Sizewell, progress on Hinkley Point C, the SMR programme and the potential of advanced modular reactors will give us a hugely important foundation for clean power for Great Britain as a whole.' Former MSP Baroness Curran told peers: 'I speak as a former planning minister in the Scottish Government. The best way to address this case is not more conflict with the Scottish Government, but promoting the argument for nuclear power in a positive way.' She added that if Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar becomes first minister, the party will be able to 'resolve this problem'.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ministers told to ‘stop pussyfooting around' and end nuclear block in Scotland
UK ministers have been told to 'stop pussyfooting around' and work to end the block on nuclear power from the Scottish Government. While Scotland has a long history of electricity generation from nuclear, its sole remaining nuclear power station is at Torness, where operations have been extended to 2030. The Scottish Government is against the building of any new nuclear power plants. Scottish Labour peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock told the House of Lords earlier this week that, while he respects the role of the the executive in Holyrood, it is time to end the blockers. He said on Tuesday: 'Surely now is the time to stop pussyfooting around when the Scottish Government say that they are quite willing to accept, in the future, electricity generated by nuclear in England? 'Given that energy is a reserved area, surely we should look at ways of stopping the blockers in Scotland, as well as in the rest of the United Kingdom.' Former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean added: 'Power devolved is power retained. 'If the Scottish Government are not acting in the interests of the United Kingdom, with their opposition to nuclear power and to oil and gas, that will create great difficulties for the rest of the United Kingdom. 'Has the minister considered taking back the power from them to prevent the appropriate infrastructure needs of the country as a whole?' Energy minister Lord Hunt of King's Heath said: 'In Scotland, nationally significant infrastructure projects, including nuclear, are broadly reserved. 'However, Scottish ministers have devolved executive competence for planning decisions for improving applications to build, operate or modify electricity-generating stations with capacities exceeding 50 megawatts in Scotland. We are not in a position to make a change to that.' He added: 'I do not think it is the case that we should reopen the devolution settlement… 'I think it is clear that, overall, new nuclear has a huge role to play in the baseload that it can provide and in clean power. 'The move towards the final investment decision on Sizewell, progress on Hinkley Point C, the SMR programme and the potential of advanced modular reactors will give us a hugely important foundation for clean power for Great Britain as a whole.' Former MSP Baroness Curran told peers: 'I speak as a former planning minister in the Scottish Government. The best way to address this case is not more conflict with the Scottish Government, but promoting the argument for nuclear power in a positive way.' She added that if Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar becomes first minister, the party will be able to 'resolve this problem'.
