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Centre For Assessment Of Technical Competence - Humber (Catch).

ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL

HRH The Duke of York gave the royal seal of approval to the region’s most advanced chemicals skills development centre when he laid a foundation stone at the Kiln Lane, Stallingborough site of the £8m Centre for Assessment of Technical Competence – Humber (CATCH) on 5 July 2005. 

In attendance were representatives from Yorkshire Forward, which invested £4m in the scheme and GOYH who through the European Regional Development Fund, provided £1.7m.

HRH The Duke of York spoke to members of the project team and viewed architects’ plans of the development, which is due to open in September this year.

The Centre, secured by North East Lincolnshire Council in partnership with Humber Chemical Focus and Impress is a pioneering facility, featuring full-scale chemical equipment to help companies assess the competence of their workforce and develop skills for new recruits entering the industry.     

£8M FUNDING PACKAGE BOOSTS CHEMICAL CLUSTER IN THE HUMBER

The Centre for Assessment of Technical Competence – Humber (CATCH), the first of its kind in the country, will provide 750m2 of business premises on a 10 acre site off Kiln Lane, near Stallingborough, situated between Grimsby and Immingham.  It is planned that CATCH will create over 300 gross new jobs and accommodate 25 jobs.

The concept for CATCH started development back in 2001, with a multi-agency stakeholder forum, chaired by North East Lincolnshire Council.  Key research, commissioned by the forum, confirmed industries’ concerns that the age profile, skill levels and lack of new entrants in engineering and technical disciplines, across chemical and allied engineering workforce, were reaching crisis point. 

A radical and innovative solution was necessary to reverse the trend and address the issues across the chemical cluster in the region.  The concept is to provide a facility which is open to all suitable training providers, to deliver a wide variety of programmes relevant to the chemical and allied industries. 

The CATCH facility is a unique opportunity for the Humber Chemical Cluster to engage with young people as they make important career choices and give apprentices experience on full-scale chemical equipment necessary before they go live on the real thing.  It will provide a venue for competency assessment of mature craftspeople and operatives to take place, upskilling of adults and those seeking a career change.  The site has potential for assisting companies with emergency shutdown and response procedures, certification, licensing and safety passports, as well as offering accommodation for new businesses.