Community event at ZeroFour

Crown Estate Scotland and Dundee and Angus College host community event at Montrose Academy

07 April 2022

Young people from Angus have been given a glimpse of future career opportunities in the renewable energy sector, at an event run by the clean growth enterprise hub, ZeroFour in Montrose.

More than 20 third year students from Montrose Academy used virtual reality headsets and robotic devices to better understand the wide range of future job opportunities that this rapidly growing sector offers.

The event, held on Tuesday 29 March at Montrose Academy, was organised by Crown Estate Scotland and Dundee and Angus College and gave the young people present an insight to careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Developed by Crown Estate Scotland, ZeroFour aims to become a national centre of excellence, helping the development of clean energy industries and a range of associated support enterprises.

ZeroFour is expected to create hundreds of jobs in industry, technology and other sectors, with the hub offering services and technology to advance clean, green economic growth in Angus and the north-east of Scotland.

Pupils took part in fun, practical activities including programming robotic arms, driving electric karts, and finding out more about wind turbines and solar wind kits. Representatives from Dundee and Angus Council were on hand to advise on the qualifications required for jobs in the green energy sector. 

Simon Hewitt, principal of Dundee and Angus College said: “We are proud to work in partnership with Crown Estate Scotland to help inspire the green workforce of the future.

“There are so many opportunities within these exciting industries, and it is vital that we work together to raise awareness of these, and give our young people the chance to hear, see and touch the types of technologies and equipment they could be working on in the not-too-distant future.

"The event follows the college entering a memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreement with Crown Estate Scotland, which focuses on promoting and accelerating the development of the skills required to support the green energy sector, as well as highlighting suitable training and career prospects in other clean STEM enterprises.

Montrose Academy depute head, Rebecca Robertson, said: “We would like to thank Crown Estate Scotland and Dundee and Angus College for a fun, informative and inspiring afternoon. This event has provided our third-year pupils with a glimpse of the fantastic opportunities that ZeroFour brings, highlighting the variety of careers available to them following secondary education.”

Representatives from Crown Estate Scotland engaged with more than 20 local community groups from the Montrose area at the event, sharing news on ZeroFour’s progress and the many opportunities it will provide locally.

Amanda Bryan, chair of Crown Estate Scotland said: “ZeroFour will bring significant investment and employment to the Montrose region and this week’s event was extremely useful in allowing us to demonstrate what that might look like to the local community. 

“From exploring the kind of roles that might be available at ZeroFour to young people through our MoU with Dundee and Angus College, to presenting our plans with community groups which use the surrounding area at ZeroFour, we are committed to engaging with and listening to local people as we deliver this transformational development.”

ZeroFour will be a purpose-built, innovation park enabling high-tech research and development, along with support for a range of industries and services for the blue and green economies, along with space for traditional enterprises including a hotel and other amenities.

The hub will use green, low-carbon infrastructure to support tenants and the region to achieve their net-zero ambitions.

It is expected that ground preparation and infrastructure works will commence in 2022 and serviced plots will be ready from 2023.

For more information please visit: https://zerofour.uk/

ENDS.

Issued on behalf of ZeroFour hub by The BIG Partnership. For more information and to confirm your attendance please contact Emma Panton on 07716 231 999/emma.panton@bigpartnership.co.uk or Rebecca Lewis on 07525 814 009/ rebecca.lewis@bigpartnership.co.uk

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