NESMP

Training lures foreign workers to Teesside

The Northern Echo
Wednesday 26th August 2009

A GROWING number of international workers are travelling to the UK to take advantage of specialist training offered by a Teesside organisation.

Middlesbrough’s TTE Technical Training Group is the UK’s leading training provider to the oil and gas, process, manufacturing and engineering sectors.

During the past 12 months, more than 100 international students have been sent to the UK by their employers to spend time on courses at TTE’s Wilton training centre.

During that time they are estimated to have contributed £500,000 to the local economy.

The students are from countries including the Oman, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and Libya.

Richard KA Bondzie, who is studying for an NVQ 2 in process operations, said: “The quality of the training and facilities at TTE is first-class, and I can see why TTE’s residential course on Teesside was chosen by my company, Tullow Oil, which is based in Ghana.

“People have been very welcoming and I am enjoying getting to know the area as there’s lots to do in my spare time.”

The students live in accommodation on Stockton’s Riverside or Hartlepool Marina in a total of 45 flats, which TTE International, a registered charity, rents on their behalf.

Keith Hunter, TTE managing director, said: “While there is a broad understanding of the role TTE plays in terms of training technicians from around the globe, the contribution in terms of helping sustaining the local economy is not so well known.

“This includes rent for their accommodation, expenditure on food and entertainment, and what has been spent to furnish their flats, with items ranging from microwaves to alarm clocks, to duvets to cutlery.”