A TRIO of North-East businesses are joining forces to support skills training for offshore workers and make the region a global centre for specialist safety training.

Newcastle International in partnership with training experts at Advanced Industrial Solutions (AIS) and Maersk Training will help those working, or aspiring to work, in the offshore industry.

The collaboration, which will be marketed under the brand, Offshore Training Newcastle, will see a new training hub developed at Newcastle Airport offering specialist fire training qualifications for offshore workers, who sometimes have to deal with fire fighting in extreme emergency situations.

The facility will complement AIS and Maersk Training's recently-launched training centre on the north bank of the Tyne, which provides training for those working on oil rigs or wind turbines, as well other industrial, engineering and health and safety courses.

Offshore Training Newcastle hopes to attract more than 6,000 delegates to the region every year.

Dave Laws, chief executive at Newcastle International, said: "The job of a fire fighter offshore is one of the most dangerous and challenging in the world. Here at Newcastle Airport we have the training expertise to meet the training needs of the region, as well as attracting many more people to the North East, which in turn benefits the local economy. We are looking forward to developing a successful partnership."

Vijay Rangachari of Maersk Training in Newcastle, said: "This new partnership is excellent news for the North East. Sectors like renewable energy are experiencing unprecedented growth and have resulting skills shortages that need to be plugged. That's where the state-of-the-art facilities and complete training solution at Offshore Training Newcastle will help equip the workforce with the skills that are needed."