NEW PARTNERSHIP WILL ACCELERATE DUNDEE’S DRIVE TO ELECTRIFY SCOTLAND
L-R: Jamie Duffy (Tronius), Gill Simpson (Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc), Caryn Gibson (Dundee and Angus College) and Seiki Payne (Tronius).
Dundee and Angus College, Dundee-based Tronius and Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) are joining forces to position the city as a driving force in skilling and upskilling the workforce to help Scotland achieve net-zero.
Tronius, based at MSIP, supports businesses and organisations on their transition from fossil fuel-based energy and transport to sustainable technologies. As well as offering installation packages for electric vehicle charging points, Tronius provides industry-leading unique data-driven solutions in an ever-evolving renewable market, including the Highlander Pod. Allowing businesses to understand their EV charging needs, the portable shipping container with six EV charging points can be dropped off anywhere and connected to a power supply with one cable.
Working closely with Dundee and Angus College, the company will help shape the electric vehicle and sustainable energy curriculums going forward, ensuring that the college curriculum is tailored to industry’s needs.
Founded by Jamie Duffy and Seiki Payne, Tronius will also facilitate learners’ training with on-site, hands-on opportunities within the MSIP Skills Academy, from helping build Highlander Pods and wiring charge points to networking and cabling.
Due to open in August 2022, the MSIP Skills Academy will be delivered by Dundee and Angus College, housing classrooms, workshops and a large, versatile space for learning and demonstrating new and emerging technologies. Ultimately, Tronius hopes to create work placement and job opportunities for Dundee and Angus learners as the company prepares for significant growth in the months and years ahead.
The Dundee consortium will showcase its combined strengths on a national stage when they represent Scotland at Fully Charged Live 2022, hailed ‘the world’s number one clean energy and electric vehicle show’. The three-day event will take place at Farnborough International on 29/30 April and 1st May 2022.
While Tronius demonstrates the potential of the Highland Pod, Dundee and Angus College will highlight its impressive contribution to EV training and the skills the College is committed to providing.
Jamie Duffy, Co-Founder, Tronius, said, “Tronius was born out of our enthusiasm and desire for sustainability and electromobility, and our desire to operate as a conduit for driving social value, local employment and regional economic stimulus in collaboration with government, community groups and enterprise initiatives. We are therefore delighted to embark on this journey with Dundee and Angus College, which will provide an end-to-end solution for both students and industry.
“We will help the college tailor and maximise its course portfolio as they evolve from fossil fuel-based energy and transport courses to delivering quality educational qualifications in Electric Vehicle engineering and sustainable energy technologies. Crucially, our partnership will also provide tangible, real-life opportunities for students within the fantastic new MSIP Skills Academy. We seek to be more than a successful business – we want to be a place where the next generation can learn, explore and create, reaping significant rewards for the local and national economy and society as a whole.”
Caryn Gibson, Business Partnership Manager, Dundee and Angus College, added: “As Scotland embarks on the electric revolution, Dundee and Angus College has a critical role to play, but we cannot work in isolation. By bringing education and the public and private sector together, we can bring these opportunities to life and create real change.
Dundee is already well ahead of the game on its EV targets, and Dundee and Angus College is central to maintaining that position. Not only are we generating the skilled workforce that industry needs through upskilling and reskilling, but also training other colleges in Scotland to ensure their EV offering is of the highest standard using the world-class Lucas Nuelle Kit. While shaping our curriculum, we must look to industry for their direction – what do they need from their workforce? What jobs opportunities exist, and where are our shortages? Our collaboration with Jamie and Seiki at Tronius will allow us to take that industry-led approach to tackle these skills gaps, create jobs and future-proof our curriculum.”
Gill Simpson, Marketing and Communications Director, MSIP, said, “The curriculum and delivery style of the MSIP Skills Academy builds on the strong legacy of Dundee and Michelin, meeting the demands of the future workplace and ensuring that the sustainable mobility and decarbonisation industries are resourced with the right people, at the right time. It’s great to see the enthusiasm Tronius has to work alongside us to do that.
We want the MSIP Skills Academy to inspire new generations of engineers, technicians and operators to design and manufacture for the decarbonisation, renewable energy and sustainable mobility sectors. And that will only be achieved by working in collaboration with academia and industry partners. I hope the work we are doing with Tronius, the MSIP Skills Academy and Dundee and Angus College can demonstrate how this can be done and inspire others to do the same.”
Meanwhile, Dundee and Angus College has also partnered with Robert Lawson and Sons Auto Electricians to create an Electric Vehicle and Hybrid Training Centre at its Kilspindie Road premises in Dundee. This fully functioning workshop facility has weekly courses running to help ensure Scotland has vehicle technicians trained to a high standard to maintain and repair ULEVs.
