Sizewell C has pledged to deliver 500 jobs for people in Ipswich during construction of the nuclear power plant – part of a new agreement with the town’s MP Jack Abbott.
- New agreement signed by Ipswich MP, Jack Abbott, and Sizewell C
- Jobs guarantee supported by Ipswich jobs fairs and recruitment activity
- Commitment to the area also includes supporting Suffolk New College to expand course options and build new centres of excellence
- Over £45m of Sizewell C contracts already issued to Ipswich suppliers
- Jack Abbott MP welcomes news as “an example of ambitious leadership delivering for local people.”
Sizewell C has previously pledged that at least a third of the 7,900 peak construction workforce – around 2,600 jobs – will come from East Anglia. This new commitment – the first of a series of more specific regional commitments – will mean people from Ipswich are guaranteed to benefit from the significant employment opportunity on site.
The launch of the jobs guarantee will be supported by a series of activities in Ipswich to ensure that people can access the thousands of career and development opportunities that Sizewell C offers.
The recruitment drive will include working with the Department for Work and Pensions to run two community-focused Sizewell C jobs fairs a year, sponsoring the Suffolk Future Skills Fair in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and advertising in Ipswich media.
Sizewell C, which already works closely with the University of Suffolk and Suffolk One, will also build on its work with Suffolk New College, including expanding the College’s engineering, welding and fabrication courses, supporting the development of a Welding Centre of Excellence, scoping the development of an Electrical Engineering Centre of Excellence, and developing a Regional Construction Skills Roadshow*.
The commitments build on work Sizewell C is already undertaking to ensure opportunities are accessible to people in Ipswich. It has built strong links with local charities and bodies across the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors to reach those furthest from the workplace. In Ipswich, this includes two-year funding agreements worth a total of £150k with the charities Project 21, promoting independence and confidence for people with Downs Syndrome, and Inspire, empowering under 25-year-olds to achieve a better future.
Julia Pyke, Joint Managing Director of Sizewell C, said: “We’ve already pledged that around a third of our peak construction workforce will come from East Anglia – but by committing 500 of those jobs to Ipswich specifically, we can make absolutely sure that people here will benefit from the incredible opportunities that Sizewell C offers.
“We’re working with great partners, like Inspire and Project 21, so that we can access the hardest-to-reach groups in the area, and by extending our support for local education institutions like Suffolk New College, we can help ensure that young people have the skills and qualifications to develop their careers here, in our region, building a stronger future for Ipswich.”
Sizewell C will spend £2bn with companies based in Suffolk, and Ipswich businesses are already benefitting. Over £45m of contracts have been issued to local suppliers so far, including for construction, aggregates, building supplies and energy systems: Ipswich family firm, Barnes Construction, Tru7 Group, and Brett Aggregates are amongst the local firms already working on the Sizewell C project.
Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich, said: “A little over 100 days ago, I was elected on a platform of delivering for local people. Today, I am delighted to secure a new agreement with Sizewell C to guarantee 500 jobs and significant new investment for Ipswich.
“I have long said that the transition to net zero provides enormous opportunities for our town and our county if we are bold enough to take them. This is an example of ambitious leadership delivering for local people.
“Today’s agreement means hundreds of people across Ipswich will have the opportunity to train, retrain or upskill, with a view to gaining secure, well-paid, long-term employment.
“Not only does this agreement guarantee 500 on-site jobs at Sizewell C for Ipswich residents, but it also commits Sizewell C
to hosting two job fairs every year in Ipswich, and provides an expanded partnership for our town’s colleges and University.
“My thanks go to Sizewell C for this agreement, and I look forward to continuing working with them in partnership to keep delivering for people in Ipswich and Suffolk – this is just the first step towards a new future.”
Earlier this year, Sizewell C announced it had agreed the lease of Orwell Logistics Park in Ipswich for its logistics and freight management, representing one of the largest lettings transactions in the UK.
Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Lord Hunt said: “Sizewell C will create hundreds of jobs for people in the nearby town of Ipswich, and is a prime example of how new nuclear will directly support local communities.
“Our clean energy superpower mission is not just about taking back control of our energy system to protect consumers – it is also about powering economic growth through good jobs.”
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* Sizewell C has pledged to work with Suffolk New College to:
- expand its engineering, welding and fabrication courses at Ipswich and creating similar availability, where appropriate, at its College on the Coast sites (Leiston and Halesworth)
- support the development of a Welding Centre of Excellence, working with the College at Ipswich and exploring potential new facilities and funding partners
- scope the development of an Electrical Engineering Centre of Excellence, enhancing facilities available at Leiston and Ipswich for delivering new and upskilling existing electrical skills
- Develop a Regional Construction Skills Roadshow, focused on opportunities at Sizewell C and in partnership with other major projects, staged at each of the College’s main sites
Sizewell C is already undertaking numerous activities to benefit the region, including:
- Delivering a Sizewell C Jobs Service in partnership with the region – ensuring that local employment is maximised
- Providing a £23m fund to enhance facilities and resources in local colleges, Higher Education and training providers and improve skills
- Working with local schools and colleges and create a ‘Young Sizewell C’ initiative to help raise young people’s aspirations, and help them gain important opportunities on the Sizewell C project and our supply chain
- Creating 1,500 Sizewell C apprenticeships (34 are already in place), with at least 540 from Suffolk
- Boosting opportunities for diverse and hard-to-reach groups to gain life-enhancing career opportunities at Sizewell C
- Showcasing employment opportunities in our regularly updated Employment and Training Prospectus outlining opportunities by construction phase and linking to local college partners
Education and outreach achievements to date include:
- Over 1,300 Young Sizewell C registrations
- Around 200 schools accessing our Power Up education resources
- 15,888 students reached through 124 events in the 2023/2024 academic year
- 8 student ambassadors from local and national universities recruited to support their career pathways and promote opportunities at Sizewell C
- 12 engineering students from across the region experiencing the real-life demands of a large-scale construction project by building a mini replica of the Gherkin building (30 St Mary Axe, London) over five days with Constructionarium
Published by Sizewell C’s Media Relations Manager, Nick Osbourne | 18 October 2024