Education

The Low Carbon North: Sustainable Futures initiative is being delivered by our Careers and Enterprise team in partnership with Newcastle University and The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. 

ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. 

Funded through the Northern Net Zero Accelerator, the one-year programme will run from May 2026 until the end of April 2027. 

The project aims to improve graduate retention in North East England while helping businesses build the skilled workforce needed for the transition to employment in the region’s flourishing low carbon economy.  

It will also support long term regional growth by creating a model that could be expanded across the wider higher education sector. 

Supporting regional growth 

The programme will connect Durham and Newcastle students with businesses working across offshore wind, subsea industries and the wider low carbon sector. 

Virtual, employer-led group projects will give students the chance to work on real industry challenges and gain valuable experience.  

Students from a wide range of degree subjects, including Business, Finance and the Sciences are invited to take part. 

The project builds on existing links with industry partners connected to the leading offshore energy sector here in North East England.   

This will help students gain a better understanding of the real world opportunities available in the North East region. 

Helping students explore low carbon careers 

Alongside industry-based projects, the programme will include careers forums, employer panels and networking opportunities.  

These events will help students learn more about careers in low carbon industries and the skills employers are looking for. 

We also want to challenge the idea that low carbon careers are only linked to STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). 

The sector needs people with a wide range of skills and experiences, from project management to communications and finance. 

Student interns from both universities will help shape the programme to make sure activities reflect what students want and need. 

Creating a lasting legacy 

The project will also support university staff and careers advisers from across North East England.  

Colleagues from five regional universities will be invited to take part in careers education events focused on the future of the low carbon sector. 

By bringing together universities, employers and students, we hope to create stronger regional partnerships that continue beyond the life of the project. 

The long-term goal is to create a tested model that improves graduate employability, supports business innovation and helps drive sustainable growth across North East England. 

Main image shows an aerial view of the Dock90 wind farm, with a ship alongside. Image credit: Principle Power

Born in Stockton-on-Tees in North East England, Charlotte studied English and linguistics at Durham. She was a member of St Cuthbert’s Society and graduated in 2003. We caught up with Charlotte to hear more about her time at Durham, the experiences that shaped her and the memories she still holds dear. 

What made you choose to study at Durham? 

Durham always had a special pull. I’d spent time there as a child and, honestly, I don’t know anybody who’s been to Durham and not been wowed by it – you’d have to be cold-hearted not to fall in love with it. The sense of history you feel as you walk along the cobbles, surrounded by ancient buildings, you feel like you’re a part of something special. Staying in the North East was also important to me, as I wanted to be close to home at the time. I loved the idea of a collegiate university in a small, beautiful city. So, Durham really resonated with me. 

You were a member of the Durham Revue, which provides a springboard for many talented performers to enjoy successful careers in the Arts. What did it mean to you? 

It was transformative. There’s this wonderful tradition at Durham of students creating their own theatre which feels incredibly empowering. With the Revue, everything was student-led: writing, performing, producing. You do the sound, the lighting, the props, everything. So, you just throw yourself in and find your feet. If you fail, it’s absolutely on your shoulders, and that’s quite terrifying and liberating all at the same time. It was the turning point for me, I think, in my decision to want to be an actor. 

Beyond the Revue and your studies, what else did you enjoy about life at Durham? 

I did a lot of musical theatre – productions like Guys and Dolls and Oklahoma – and Durham gives you the opportunity to get involved in so many different activities. There are always multiple productions and societies running at once, so you can try new things and develop skills you didn’t even know you had. The collegiate system offers a supportive, welcoming community from day one. And the city itself is unique. You can go from a peaceful, riverside walk surrounded by nature to a lively urban centre within minutes. 

As someone from the North East region, what was your experience of Durham University? 

I felt incredibly proud to be at Durham. It’s one of the most prestigious universities in the North East so I was really chuffed at getting in. Even back then the University was trying to attract more local students so there were quite a few of us there. But what I loved most was meeting people from different backgrounds from all over the country and the world. That diversity is such a big part of the Durham experience. The collegiate system really helps too. I wasn’t just mixing with people who were studying English, I was meeting people with varied interests, from all walks of life, and you quickly find your place. 

What memories of Durham still stay with you?  

It’s those small, vivid moments. Early mornings after a show, sitting on the grass by the Cathedral with friends after a night out and feeling completely in the moment. There’s something magical about being surrounded by such history while living those formative, carefree years – it creates memories that truly last. And I just loved spending time with my friends, whether that was performing, going to gigs in Newcastle, or just going out in Durham. It’s a brilliant place to grow, socially as well as academically. It really is a special place. 

Working alongside international partners, Durham’s experts are helping to map the large-scale structure of the cosmos with unprecedented precision,strengthening the North East’s reputation as a centre of excellence for space science and advanced research.