University of Hull Announces New Engineering Partnership with Siemens
The University of Hull has announced a landmark partnership with Siemens Energy that will create new degree apprenticeships in renewable energy engineering and establish a joint research programme focused on offshore wind technology. The agreement, signed at a ceremony at the university's Venn Building on Cottingham Road, represents one of the largest industry-university collaborations in the Humber region and is expected to benefit hundreds of students and early-career engineers over the next five years.
Under the partnership, Siemens Energy will sponsor 50 degree apprenticeship places per year, allowing students to combine academic study at the university with hands-on experience at the company's blade manufacturing facility on Alexandra Dock in Hull. The four-year apprenticeships will lead to a BEng in Renewable Energy Engineering, with apprentices spending roughly half their time at the university and half at the Siemens facility. Graduates will be guaranteed interviews for full-time engineering roles within Siemens Energy's UK operations upon completion.
The research element of the partnership will focus on next-generation offshore wind turbine technology, including blade design optimisation, advanced composite materials and predictive maintenance systems. The University of Hull's Aura Innovation Centre, which already specialises in clean energy research, will house a new joint laboratory staffed by university academics and Siemens engineers. Funding of £2.4 million over five years has been committed by Siemens Energy, with additional match funding sought from UK Research and Innovation.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dave Petley described the partnership as transformative for the university and the wider region. "Hull sits at the heart of the UK's offshore wind industry, and this partnership ensures that our students and researchers are at the forefront of the technologies that will power Britain's energy future," he said. Siemens Energy's UK managing director added that the Humber region's skills pipeline was a key factor in the company's continued investment in Hull, noting that over 1,000 people are now employed at the Alexandra Dock facility.