Tilbury Douglas has been appointed to deliver the new £14.7m engineering training centre for NETA Training, part of the Education Training Collective (Etc.).

The project will see NETA relocate to the Stockton Riverside College campus, where a two-storey new-build engineering centre will be built along with refurbishment of an existing building to house trade-specific workshops for gas, electric, and mechanical training.

Each workshop will have specialist equipment tailored to its respective field.

NETA Training Group provides essential technical training to the engineering, offshore, and petrochemical industries in Teesside.

As part of Etc., alongside colleges like Stockton Riverside College, Bede Sixth Form College and Redcar and Cleveland College, the project will create a cutting-edge facility designed to meet the future needs of these industries.

Maintaining safety and minimising disruption on the site is a key priority, as the adjacent motor vehicle workshop and college campus will remain operational throughout construction.

Paul Ellenor, regional director for the North East and Yorkshire at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We are delighted to be part of such a transformative project.

“This facility will play a crucial role in developing essential skills in key industries and we are committed to delivering a high-quality building that meets the needs of NETA and its trainees.”

The project aligns with NETA’s broader efforts to equip the next generation of engineers with vital skills, preparing them for success in a rapidly-changing industrial landscape.

Phil Shaw, managing director of Building North at Tilbury Douglas, said: “Our focus is not only on constructing a cutting-edge facility, but also on creating lasting social value.

“The project aims for a 40% social value return on investment, ensuring long-term benefits for the region, with a particular emphasis on creating local job opportunities and enriching NETA’s training programmes.”

NETA director, Sean Johnston, added: “NETA’s centre will offer fantastic spaces and workshops for up-and-coming engineers to learn the skills of their trade and for employers and individuals working in industry to upskill themselves and their workforce.

“The industrial landscape of Teesside, the North East, the UK, and the world, is changing, and engineering and construction skills have a part to play in that.

“For us this feels like the next chapter.”