Scunthorpe Telegraph | by Simon Leonard
US Government Offshore Wind delegates visited the Humber University Technical College (UTC) in Scunthorpe this morning.
The Humber UTC and Team Humber Marine Alliance (TMHA) networking event saw representatives from Massachusetts, Oregon, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC and Hawaii meet and network with UTC staff , governors, THMA members and partners, before taking a tour of the facility.
THMA was one of the founding partners of the UTC on Carlton Street which is focused on engineering and renewables. The UTC offers a new concept in education for 14 to 19-year-olds giving students the opportunity to study at a specialist institution equipped to the highest standards and linked to industry.
The event this morning celebrated the UTC’s successes and relaunched its Employer Engagement programme to develop a closer relationship with THMA’s members and partners.
After a registration and tea and coffee, introductions were given by Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Rob Waltham, UTC Principal Andrew Downing and Mark O’Reilly, CEO and Chairman of Team Humber Marine Alliance and Director and Governor of the UTC.
Speaking at the event, John Kowalko, a representative of the state of Delaware, said: “I wanted to get an opportunity to see first-hand this success story.”
Mr Kowalko said the offshore wind sector in Delaware is “stagnant”.
Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Rob Waltham, said: “It is great to meet people from the US and talk about opportunities.”
UTC Principal Andrew Downing said: “We have a real belief that we need to be thinking big. We have a very simple philosophy. We will develop students in the engineering sector.”
Mark O’Reilly, CEO and Chairman of Team Humber Marine Alliance and Director and Governor of the UTC, said: “It has been a brilliant event.”