Clean energy project bring talent back home
10 July 2026, Teesside – For decades, many of the Teesside’s highly skilled industrial specialists faced a choice: remain in a region experiencing industrial decline or relocate overseas to work on major energy and infrastructure projects. Today, NZT Power and its consortium partners (Technip Energies, Balfour Beatty and GE Vernova) are reversing this trend, attracting experienced, local professionals back to the North-East.
Under construction on the Teesworks site, the former home of the Redcar steelworks, NZT Power is designed to be the world’s first commercial-scale, gas-fired power station integrated with carbon capture technology. On completion, the station will deliver up to 742 MW of dispatchable, low-carbon electricity, enough to power over a million UK homes.
The project is set to create over 3,000 jobs during construction and up to 1,000 permanent roles during its operational phase. In response to these new opportunities, several Teessiders are returning home for the first time in many years.
Matthew Nichol – Project Security Manager, Technip Energies
Matthew grew up in Redcar during its industrial peak before leaving in the mid-1990s to serve 15 years in the Armed Forces. He subsequently spent 14 years in the private security sector in Iraq, managing high-risk security operations for the oil and gas industry in Basra, which included delivering a major natural gas liquids plant. Working overseas meant spending up to six months of the year away from his family.
“Working away from home was incredibly rewarding, but I missed my family. Having worked away throughout my eldest son’s childhood… ultimately shaped my decision to look for opportunities at home. This project is what brought me home, somewhere I am familiar with that could turn the tide… Being home for my family has been the most rewarding part.”
Steve Fishlock – Mechanical Construction Director, Balfour Beatty
Steve was born near Middlesbrough. He began his career in a local oil rig fabrication yard before moving to London and other international locations to pursue senior management roles. The NZT Power contract award to Balfour Beatty allowed him to relocate back to the North-East to be closer to his family, including his grandchildren.
“This is a massive opportunity for the local area – for the progression of skills and the passing on of trades. For carbon capture, this is the way forward for the country, and this is the opportunity to show how successful it can be.”
Liam Gooding – Senior Environment, Health, and Safety Manager, GE Vernova
Liam grew up in Coatham, near the Redcar steelworks, and entered the industrial sector directly after leaving school. Prior to joining the NZT Power project, he spent a decade managing health and safety on energy developments across Europe and the Middle East.
“When I left school, I followed in my father’s footsteps and moved into industry. Coming full circle to work on this site feels incredibly significant. It is an honour to be part of the team revitalising Redcar’s industrial legacy while leading the charge toward energy security for the UK and a cleaner, more sustainable future.”
Beyond bringing experienced personnel back to Teesside, NZT Power and its partners are focused on training the region’s future workforce, with the project, alongside the Northern Endurance Partnership, investing over £1 million in three skills schemes which are training 175 young people across Teesside.