More than 50 new jobs are now being advertised by Air Products for its Tees Valley Renewable Energy facility, located in the New Energy and Technology Business Park, near Billingham, Teesside.
The energy facility is set to enter commercial operation next year (2014) but the first batch of new recruits will join Air Products during the summer. The jobs on offer include senior engineering roles, plant operation, maintenance and administrative positions.
Air Products will be making use of a range of channels to advertise the positions including a dedicated careers website, generic online recruitment websites (e.g. www.totaljobs.com), local press advertising and recruiting via local Job Centres. In order to find the right people for the roles, the recruitment campaign has been centred around the theme of ‘Some see waste – others opportunity’.
Andrew Connolly, Air Products’ Plant Manager of the Tees Valley Renewable Energy Facility, said: “The Tees Valley facility has a triple bonus effect: new jobs and technology investment for the North East, low-carbon power generation and better waste management as waste is diverted from landfill for energy use. We are looking to recruit from Teesside primarily, although we may need to recruit from further afield to fill certain positions. There’s a mix of skilled and semi-skilled jobs on offer and so far we have had very strong levels of interest.
We are delighted to have reached the recruitment phase in the project, just 12 months after we started construction on site and we are on schedule to enter commercial operation next year. So far, the construction programme has employed more than 700 workers, many of whom are working with Air Products’ sub-contracting firms based in or around Teesside.”
Councillor Michael Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport at Stockton Council, said: “We’re delighted that Air Products continues its expansion at its Tees Valley Renewable Energy Facility with over 50 new jobs on offer. This is a great opportunity for local people to gain employment in a variety of roles from engineers to administrators.
“The local workforce has great skills to offer; Air Products’ determination to recruit from the area is a demonstration of real confidence in local people and an indication of their continued commitment to Stockton Borough as a great place to do business.”
The Tees Valley Renewable Energy Facility is the first to use advanced gasification technology in the UK, and the largest of its kind anywhere in the world with an approximate capacity of 50MW. Every year up to 350,000 metric tons of non-recyclable waste will be diverted from landfill and taken to the facility.
