Massachusetts’ Bristol Community College has teamed up with JDR Cable Systems – part of the TFKable Group, a global producer of wires and cables – to launch a collaboration to train the future workforce of the offshore wind industry.
Bristol’s president, Laura L. Douglas, signed a memorandum of understanding with Neil Brown, business development manager at JDR, to provide technical job training as part of New England’s emerging offshore wind industry. They were joined by the British Consul General to New England, Harriet Cross, and CEO of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Stephen Pike, at a press conference held today at the college’s downtown New Bedford campus.
“This exciting partnership further demonstrates Bristol’s commitment to the training and development of high-paying careers in the offshore wind industry,” said Douglas. “It also ensures that the college will be able to support the region’s emerging offshore industry sector with highly skilled workers, innovative training programs and the shared use of specialized facilities well into the future.”
“Offshore wind offers Massachusetts workers a tremendous opportunity to pioneer a brand new industry and help build the state’s clean energy future,” said Pike. “Innovative training programs such as the one announced today by Bristol Community College and JDR Cables are key to the commonwealth’s success in developing a workforce that will meet the diverse needs of the offshore wind industry today and in the years to come.”
The foundation of the partnership was established in February 2018, when Douglas participated in the U.S.-U.K. Offshore Wind Ports & Supply Chain Delegation at the invitation of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.
With the support of industry stakeholders such as JDR, Bristol plans to develop the National Offshore Wind Institute to host workforce development initiatives and accelerate the development of a national offshore wind industry.
Bristol will also develop training courses associated with the offshore termination and testing of array cables. The college will also deliver technical and safety-training courses specifically to JDR’s technicians, on a schedule agreed to by both parties. The college will also promote the offshore wind industry by coordinating with the state network of MassHire Career Centers to recruit, screen, assess and refer possible technician candidates to JDR.
