Adura has assumed the lead industry partner role for Scotland’s largest Energy Transition Skills Hub, building on the founding support provided by Shell UK.
Adura – which is jointly owned by Shell (50%) and Equinor (50%) – will work with North East Scotland College (NESCol) to help support 1,000 people into jobs with a focus on energy transition in the first five years of the facility’s operation.
The now operational Hub, located on the site of a disused former Aberdeen dairy, was officially opened in 2025 and is the anchor project of the Skills Campus in the city’s Energy Transition Zone.
The Hub was founded by ETZ Ltd, Shell UK and North East Scotland College, with support from UK Government funding and the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund.
Featuring a state-of-the-art welding academy, advanced manufacturing zone and future technology digital training suites, it has already provided 150 training places in welding, trebling NESCol’s previous training capacity. With further expansion planned for 2026/27, this could rise to four times the pre-Hub capacity.
Beyond welding, the Hub supports a wide range of training and events activity, with over 130 students regularly using the advanced manufacturing, innovation, renewables and flexible workshop spaces. By the end of the academic year, the Hub will have hosted over 340 local school pupils, including 300 participants in the Girls in Energy programme and 25 competitors in the Ocean Winds Virtual Welding Challenge.
The Hub was handed over from ETZ Ltd, which spearheaded its delivery, to NESCol, ensuring the industry and public sector collaboration needed to cement North East Scotland’s position as a global leader in energy and supply chain excellence. Since its inception, additional funding for the Hub has been provided by skills body ECITB and transmission networks provider SSEN.
The Hub recently hosted the Girls in Energy conference, with 300 students from across schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire taking part. The Girls in Energy programme will also be supported by Adura from the start of the 2026 academic year. Adura will build on the strong foundation established by Shell, expanding opportunities for young women and encouraging them to consider careers in the energy industry.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks visited the Hub recently, where he met with students using the bespoke training spaces, before hosting the inaugural meeting of the North Sea Future Board on site.
He said: “Our clean energy mission is set to create more than 40,000 extra jobs in Scotland alone by 2030.
“This new training hub, backed by the UK Government, will help to meet this demand, providing the next generation of workers with the training and skills needed to take advantage of the thousands of well-paid, good jobs being delivered by the clean energy transition.”
Neil McCulloch, Adura CEO, said: “The Energy Transition Skills Hub is exactly the kind of practical, forward-looking initiative that our industry and energy transition needs – and Adura is very proud to continue the great work set in motion by Shell.
“As lead industry partner, Adura is reinforcing its commitment to developing the skills that will both support today’s energy system and power tomorrow’s low-carbon future.
“Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland have built a world-class energy workforce over decades. As our sector evolves, continued investment in skills - particularly upskilling and reskilling - is essential to ensure that talent in this region can seize the opportunities ahead.
“By working with North East Scotland College, we are creating clear pathways into high-quality jobs and supporting up to 1,000 people into employment over the first five years. This Hub is a tangible demonstration of our long-term commitment to the region and to developing the future workforce our industry needs.”
Parminder Kohli, Country Chair at Shell UK, said: “Backing skills for people here in the North East of Scotland is one way Shell supports the energy transition. Having met many of the young people gaining training through initiatives like the Energy Transition Skills Hub, it’s clear how powerful these opportunities can be for individuals and local communities.
“This builds on Shell’s long-standing presence in Aberdeen and our wider contribution across the UK energy system. As a founding partner of the Hub, we remain firmly behind its ambition. Shell will continue its direct support for the other energy transition skills hubs in Fife and Pembrokeshire.”
Neil Cowie, Principal, NESCol, said: “We are thrilled to formally welcome Adura’s support for the Hub and I look forward to working with the team there make this facility a major Scottish training and education success story.
“Hundreds of students have already benefitted immensely from the work that has taken place and the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive – something I’m sure will only continue with Adura now on board.
“This is about investing in the future workforce, creating opportunities for new entrants, while also providing meaningful upskilling and reskilling pathways for those already working in the sector.
“Aberdeen and the North East have long been at the heart of the UK’s energy story and this Hub will go a long way to ensuring that remains the case as the energy transition gathers steam.”