Joint programme helps apprentices and Year in Industry students build resilience, leadership and teamwork during nine-day charity voyage.
RWE, GEV Wind Power and Humber-wide charity CatZero are celebrating the successful completion of an ambitious North Sea sailing challenge that brought together apprentices and Year in Industry students to develop the next generation of renewables talent while raising support for CatZero’s life-changing work.
The joint ‘Humber to Hamburg’ programme saw six participants from RWE and four apprentices from GEV Wind Power sail aboard CatZero’s 72-foot Challenge yacht, supported by CatZero’s experienced team. Departing Grimsby Dock on 19 September, the crew crossed the North Sea to Germany, attended the WindEnergy Hamburg conference, then completed the return leg to Hull, arriving back to the Marina on 28 September.
During the voyage, the RWE and GEV Wind Power participants worked as one crew, taking responsibility for watchkeeping, navigation, sail handling and day-to-day life on board. Guided by CatZero, they developed communication, decision-making, resilience and leadership in unfamiliar and demanding conditions, skills that are essential for safe, successful careers in offshore wind.
The challenge raised awareness and support for CatZero, an independent Humber-wide charity that uses its Challenge yacht and tailored personal development programmes to help children, young people, families, veterans and unemployed adults build confidence and move towards positive outcomes, including employment, education and training.
At WindEnergy Hamburg, the combined crew represented RWE, GEV Wind Power and CatZero on an international stage, met industry professionals and gained a broader view of the global wind sector. The initiative demonstrated the value of employers, the supply chain and the charitable sector working together to invest in the Humber’s future workforce.
Pete Tighe, CatZero Partnership and Development Manager: “Sailing has an incredible way of bringing out the very best in people. The RWE and GEV Wind Power participants showed good humour, resilience and a genuine willingness to support one another throughout the voyage. We are delighted to have worked with both companies on a challenge that develops future wind-industry talent while helping CatZero continue to create life-changing opportunities across the Humber.”
Jessica Wall, RWE Apprentice Wind Turbine Technician: “The Humber to Hamburg challenge was an experience I will never forget. From crossing the North Sea to representing RWE at WindEnergy Hamburg, every part of the journey pushed me beyond my comfort zone and showed me how important communication, trust and teamwork are. Working alongside apprentices from GEV Wind Power and the CatZero team helped me build confidence and resilience, and I am proud that we were able to support such an important Humber charity while developing skills that I will take forward throughout my career in offshore wind.”
Klay Thordarson-Overington, GEV Wind Power Junior Project Coordinator: “Even though it was daunting at first, I’m glad I took the opportunity to do this alongside CatZero and the other apprentices at GEV Wind Power and RWE. The first few days at sea weren’t the easiest but it challenged me and pushed me to build on my skills and confidence. It is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
By combining RWE’s commitment to early careers, GEV Wind Power’s focus on developing the next generation of wind technicians and CatZero’s expertise in transformational personal development, the partners created an experience that extended well beyond the workplace. The programme also highlighted the collaborative strength of the Humber’s offshore wind community and its shared commitment to skills, opportunity and regional impact.