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An event showcasing jobs and opportunities in the green economy to local students will be staged in South Tyneside as part of National Careers Week.

High-profile companies and organisations will inspire and inform young people about future careers in the Borough's burgeoning green industries.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ and South Tyneside College are delivering the event, which will include presentations on job opportunities and career pathways, question and answer sessions and discussions on how key industry figures got to where they are today.

Cllr Mark Walsh, Lead Member for Regeneration and Economy, said: "South Tyneside is right at the forefront of the green industrial revolution and, as we set out in our Economic Recovery Plan, it's vital that our future workforce has the knowledge and skills to be able to benefit from that.

"Employers and industry experts will be offering local students a wealth of guidance and information around the available careers, access routes, salary expectations and the skills they will need to capitalise on the fantastic opportunities that are being created right on our doorstep.

"The borough is an industry leader in sectors such as low-carbon heat, mine energy and renewable technologies, with the council itself delivering three ground-breaking district heating schemes.

"Dogger Bank, the IAMP, Envision's Gigafactory and a huge cluster of advanced manufacturing businesses are creating thousands of high-quality jobs.

"We are committed to ensuring that we further build on the region's reputation as having an unrivalled skillset in these fields and be able to compete on a global stage."

As well as delivering on the council's key priorities of supporting young people and creating the conditions for recovery and investment, the event also aligns with the South Tyneside Pledge, which aims to boost local recruitment.

The event will be hosted at South Tyneside College on Thursday 10 March.

Mark Askew, Business Engagement Manager for Tyne Coast College, of which South Tyneside College is part, said; "The green sector is a critical part of the region's economy.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to find out more about this growing sector and the range of careers and opportunities it can offer."

Speakers from the Council, the region's universities, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, UK Coal Authority and businesses including Equinor, Nissan, Port of Tyne and Dunelm will be giving presentations.

Bobo Ng, Energy Accelerator Programme Manager at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP), will be speaking at the event next week.  She said: "The UK's low carbon and green economy is now nearly four times the size of the manufacturing sector, according . 

"With further fast growth expected in the coming years, there is no better time to join this sector which offers a wealth of exceptional job and career opportunities right here in the North East."