What a year 2019 has been here at CATCH.

With climate change being high on the political agenda, decarbonisation has become front and centre of the region’s industrial strategy.  The LEPs White Paper on Humber Clean Growth sets the scene for the region to be a net zero carbon industrial economy by 2040.  This is a huge task considering the Humber industrial cluster is the largest emitter of CO2 in the UK by some 30%.  At CATCH we have been working with industry (both the energy producers and energy intensive manufacturers), the LEP and other stakeholders such as Aura and the Bondholders to develop Humber wide plans to get to the net zero figure.

Our own CATCH Skills organisation has gone from strength to strength through the year and we were pleased to announce the creation of the CATCH Engineering Training Partnership in conjunction with North Lindsey College.  This exciting new partnership will deliver technical apprenticeships and adult upskilling courses from Grimsby and Hull to Scunthorpe, right across to Huddersfield and beyond.  CATCH Skills itself now boasts an impressive portfolio of courses and has recently been accredited to deliver ECITB Confined Space training.   Having mentioned ECITB, I must highlight how proud the whole team was to receive the ECTIB Training Provider of the Year Award for 2019.

During the year we also set up the CATCH Technical Service.  CATCH Technical offers membership for technical consultants, which includes collaborative and project based consultancy to CATCH clients and members, plus conferences, events and networking opportunities.  The ConCom contractor competency auditing scheme has developed and grown through the year with new clients on board and a revamped and refocused audit format being implemented in the new year.

Our site has seen a huge amount of dynamic activity and change throughout the year.  Footfall from CATCH delegates and those of our campus of training providers and consultants has grown by over 60% over the last 2 years, including having 140 apprentices undertaking their year 1 training on-site in various technical disciplines.  One thing I really love about CATCH is the campus of first-class organisations that see the benefit of working together, utilising the CATCH facilities.  We were really pleased earlier in the year when Maersk Training joined the site and we are looking forward to working with them moving forward.   The CATCH Academy concept has seen North Lindsey College invest heavily in the site and they have seen an increase in the number of learners they support at CATCH.  Reynolds Training Services has epitomised the relationship between those working from site and CATCH.  They have grown their presence on site over the last few years from one office to now having a wing in the Technical Training Centre with a number of offices and classrooms.  They have invested heavily in the site over the last year and have committed to funding a really exciting programme of upgrading and expanding the Process Plant.  I would like to thank all our on-site partners for their continued support to CATCH – HETA/North Lindsey College/Maersk Training/Reynolds Training Services/Roxby/Safety and Access/ESC/DTK Frigo/AOC.

Finally, we have opened a new office at the Ergo Centre just North of the Humber Bridge and hope to have further announcements along a similar theme shortly.

I have not mentioned everything that has happened over the past year by a long way, but hopefully this gives you a flavour of how CATCH and our partners are really making a difference.

Wishing everyone and their families a joyful, peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

David