North East Combined Authority has approved £8.48 million for an expansion of Newcastle College's Energy Academy in Wallsend, using funding from the region's Investment Zone programme.
The investment, agreed on 10 June 2025, will support the creation of a new building next to the existing academy. The expanded facilities are intended to increase training capacity for engineering, offshore energy and renewable industries.
Newcastle College expects the campus expansion to double the available space and allow substantially more students to enrol each year. The project responds to the need for specialist skills as the North East seeks to grow its energy and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The Energy Academy expansion follows earlier Investment Zone skills projects, including support for MADE NE and the Energy Central Institute. These projects are intended to connect regional employers with training opportunities and develop a workforce able to support new investment.
The approved capital funding is intended to expand the region's energy-related training capacity. Delivery of the facilities and their subsequent use by learners and employers will indicate how the investment responds to skills needs.