Low carbon economy

The region has an excellent range of degree and other learning pathways for people entering the sector, as well as opportunities for the existing workforce in the region.

Reflecting both the region's industrial profile and the strong interest in science amongst young people, the Region's schools, FE and HE providers place a great deal of importance on STEM programmes as pathways into the emerging future employment opportunities. These include foundation degrees in engineering disciplines that are offered at a number of education providers across the region.

Our regional FE Colleges and training providers have a long history of excellent vocational and work-based training, with high levels of expertise in skills training and development for the sector including:

• Marine Engineering
• Aerospace and Allied Engineering Technologies
• Automotive Technology
• Engineering Construction
• Mechatronics
• Multi-Skilled Systems Maintenance Engineering
• Specialised Engineering for the Process and Manufacturing Industries
• Technical and Design Engineering
• Electrical and Mechancial Engineering
• Marine Safety

This history of excellent provision is being taken further with a number of the region's Colleges and training providers involved in the National Skills Academies programme and the Training Quality Standards initiative.

The five major universities - Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teeside - have a combined total of over 50 departments rated 5 or 5* in the most recent research assessment exercise.

The region's 5 universities plus the Open University offer:

• Almost 40 Masters level courses, including Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Design Manufacturing and Management, Renewable Energy and Clean Technology and Process Manufacturing Management

• Almost 50 different undergraduate degrees that are relevant to this sector, including General Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Design and Technology.

There are 1,000 or more people graduating in the region each year with relevant degrees and masters qualification, along with many others who have taken different routes to achieve a higher qualification for work in the sector. This represents an impressive and effective skills supply chain for the North East.

There is a large potential pool of graduates for the region's employers or inward investors seeking graduates with a broad engineering knowledge, most of how will have specialised toward the end of their course. Many students do go on to MSc and other post-graduate studies.