New partnership set to unlock skills capacity in the North East

A groundbreaking new partnership that will unlock career pathways in the built environment and develop cutting-edge skills to power the North East economy has been announced today.

Education Partnership North East (EPNE) and Northumbria University have unveiled a new partnership that will strengthen links between the two organisations, something that will come to life at the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA), a state-of-the-art facility that will educate, train, and upskill local people in housebuilding, commercial construction, modern methods and green construction techniques, including home retrofit.

In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Ellen Thinnesen OBE, Chief Executive of EPNE, and Professor Andy Long, Vice Chancellor of Northumbria University, the organisations have laid out plans to work together to create a cohesive strategic approach to education and skills, joining up further and higher education systems, and aligning with the priorities of the North East Combined Authority, Skills England and government’s Missions and Industrial Strategy.

In practice, the organisations will collaborate in a range of ways, including providing clear and aligned educational pathways for learners who will have guaranteed progression routes into further and higher education, recognising their hard work, commitment and achievements. In addition, Northumbria University and EPNE will also work on a range of projects – delivered in partnership – to highlight outstanding pedagogy, undertake research, and identify international best practice.

One key aspect of the partnership is a collaboration around EPNE’s £20m HICSA, creating a unique regional Technical Centre of Excellence, with Northumbria University supplying on-site graduate researchers and expertise in technologies and innovation. The aim of the partnership is to ensure there are clear and visible routes for progression for people studying at HICSA, who will benefit from exceptional teaching and facilities, underpinned by this growing partnership.

To mark this milestone occasion, key stakeholders from Homes England, Sunderland City Council, Brims Construction and Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust joined EPNE and Northumbria University at the site of HICSA to provide their support for the partnership.

Ellen Thinnesen OBE said: “We are thrilled to have agreed a partnership with Northumbria University that will ensure every person who studies with us at EPNE has access to a seamless ladder of opportunity to higher level study and employment. This partnership will be particularly visible at HICSA, where there is such strong synergy between the outstanding technical study routes we offer and the excellent under and post graduate opportunities that Northumbria University offers”.

“As a regional Centre of Excellence, HICSA’s strategic connection with Northumbria University will see the systems of further and higher education brought closer together, supporting the priorities of government, widening opportunities, and enabling growth for the construction industries, now and into the future.”

Located in the heart of one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration sites – Riverside Sunderland – HICSA will see a former-goods-shed fully restored and renovated, and connected to an aspirational new building that will be large enough to accommodate house height buildings, immersive tech and Business Information Modelling (BIM) suites, technical workshops and classrooms – learning environments that will mirror the challenges of the real world.

Professor Andy Long said: “HICSA is a magnificent facility and a brilliant place for EPNE and Northumbria University to launch a high-profile and productive new partnership that will support hundreds of young people to realise their potential, as well as delivering for industry and for the region’s economy”.

“I am delighted that this will be one of a number of new collaborative projects we will be working on with EPNE, a partnership that I am certain will go from strength-to-strength in the months and years ahead.”

Led by EPNE, built by Sunderland City Council and originally backed by Homes England and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government– HICSA has been designed to create a multi-provider delivery site with an ecosystem of stakeholders behind its development and model of implementation. Together partners will provide the skills pipeline for the construction industries and its subsectors.

As a skills gateway, training will include all available funded pathways specifically for the housing and construction industries and will be available from age 14 through to adulthood. Dedicated programmes have also been designed to attract new and typically underrepresented recruits into the industry.

Opening in 2025, HICSA will bring together a unique partnership which includes Sunderland College and Northumbria University, alongside Gentoo Housing, Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust and Sunderland City Council. The aim is to develop an eco-system that can take people from the age of 14 into meaningful study and work opportunities, providing them with a route to higher level qualifications at the University.

Working with Gentoo and Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, local students can study towards a specialised construction qualification alongside their GCSEs, supported by Sunderland College. As well as workshops and training at HICSA, pupils will also experience learning visits to Gentoo construction sites, who will also provide work experience placements. In the coming years the Academy will be opened to other schools to serve other businesses offering guaranteed apprenticeships.

To learn more about our new partnership, watch our video here: https://youtu.be/q-uEY14h_gI