The College is a key partner in the Hydrogen Training Academy, which has been shortlisted for an award in two of the 24 categories: Collaborative Partner and Training Initiative of the Year.
The Hydrogen Training Academy which is the only one of its kind in the UK, will allow Northern Ireland to maximise potential opportunities associated with hydrogen as the emerging leading sustainable energy solution.
Led by Mid and East Antrim Borough, the Ballymena-based Hydrogen Training Academy will support the development of a skilled workforce to take full advantage of hydrogen and cleantech opportunities.
Northern Regional College, along with Belfast Met, Queen’s University, Belfast and Ulster University, plays an important role in the Academy. They provide the training needed for people to upskill and fill skills gaps identified by the initiative’s industry partners who include Wrightbus, Energia, Translink, Firmus, and EP UK Investments.
Northern Regional College Innovation Manager, Alan Reid explained that Hydrogen Training Academy trainees have access to two state-of-the-art training facilities in Ballymena:
“The training facility at the College in Ballymena focusses on the production of hydrogen through specialist training equipment. It provides a technology familiarisation teaching space for all levels in the basics of green hydrogen.
“The second facility is a H2 Gas Safe Lab at Silverwood Business Park which is targeted at the NI Gas Safe Register plumbing and heating industry. It provides a competence testing space for work with commercial level equipment and is the first mixed-gas hydrogen-testing lab in the UK for Gas Safe engineers.”
Alan added: The H&V News Awards are the industry gold standard and often referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of HVAC. It’s a great honour to be involved in such an innovative project like the Hydrogen Training Academy that has made the shortlist, in not just one but two categories.”