Serving the Teesside Business Community | 43
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen with students and members of SABIC ’ s senior management team outside the Wilton Centre during the chemical company ’ s Engineering Summer School .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen joined engineering undergraduates from Teesside University when they were given a glimpse into their potential futures with one of the world ’ s leading petrochemical businesses during a three-day workshop at SABIC .
Twenty-four students from the university ’ s School of Science , Engineering and Design took part in SABIC ’ s Engineering Summer School for 2017 , featuring a range of practical and theoretical exercises designed to boost their confidence and employability for their future careers within the industry .
SABIC , whose UK headquarters are based at Wilton , near Redcar , also hosted 18 students from schools , colleges and apprentice training centres at a similar summer school for 16-to-18-year-olds interested in taking up engineering roles .
Named UK Company of the Year by the Chemical Industries Association , SABIC employs 600 staff and an additional 400 contractors at its Wilton and North Tees sites . Thousands more Teesside jobs are reliant on the business within the wider supply chain , bringing some £ 400m into the economy from payroll , utilities , goods and services .
The company is careful to nurture its future talent as it looks forward with confidence , buoyed by the conversion of its Olefins 6 Cracker to take ethane , a move that has safeguarded thousands of Teesside jobs whilst securing the company ’ s long-term future in the region .
Kevin Thrower , SABIC ’ s workforce development manager , who led and delivered the Summer School , said : “ It ’ s part of our corporate and social responsibility plan to promote opportunities for young people within SABIC , especially as some of these students will form part of our talent supply chain in the near future .
“ It ’ s important that young students who could add value to the UK process industry have a real understanding of how their individual traits and abilities to work in teams to solve everyday problems are equally as important as their technical capability .”
During the course , the undergraduates heard first hand from SABIC employees
A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR
FUTURES
£ 11m flood work underway
SABIC site director ( acting ) Daren Smith ( left ) with the Environment Agency ’ s Phil Marshall at Greatham Creek .
about careers in mechanical and technical engineering , whilst interacting with SABIC ’ s leadership team .
Major industrial energy and utilities provider Sembcorp also provided a coach tour of the Wilton International site – home to SABIC ’ s Olefins 6 and LDPE plants – to give the students an insight into the site ’ s companies , industries and activities .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen joined the students on a tour of the Wilton International site on their final day of the Summer School .
He added : “ These young people are our region ’ s future and this is a fantastic initiative by SABIC , one of the key employers in the Tees Valley .
“ Personally , I thoroughly enjoyed the fascinating tour of the Wilton site and the insight into the manufacturing chain . It reenforced to me how important it is that we ensure there is a skilled workforce , ready to take up the opportunities our ambitious plans will deliver .”
Work has started on an £ 11m Environment Agency project that will increase flood protection from the River Tees and Greatham Creek while creating around 30 hectares of extra habitat .
With SABIC providing funding towards the scheme and INOVYN ChlorVinyls releasing some of their land to be used for the additional habitat creation , it ’ s expected to be complete by the end of 2018 .
The first phase of the project , which saw new flood defences built at Port Clarence to reduce flood risk from the River Tees - protecting 350 homes and 32 businesses at a cost of £ 4.5m - was finished in 2015 .
Phase 2 will see the Environment Agency raise existing flood defences along Greatham Creek , to reduce the flood risk to Port Clarence and land which is south of Greatham Creek .
It will result in the creation of around 28 hectares of intertidal habitat to the north of the RSPB Saltholme nature reserve - a popular area frequented by seals and a variety of bird species including little tern , red knot and redshank .