Redcar and Cleveland College Powers Up the Future of Clean Transport

The hydrogen transition just got a major boost in Teesside. Redcar and Cleveland College has officially unveiled a modular hydrogen refuelling and training facility, giving students, apprentices, and local businesses the chance to experience hydrogen transport technology firsthand, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the UK education sector.

Backed by £286,000 from the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Hydrogen Transport Programme, the system supplied by Aberdeen-based Hydrasun includes four mobile training units that allow hands-on installation, maintenance, and operational practice.

Building Skills for a Hydrogen Future

This is more than just an educational milestone, it is a statement about how regions like Teesside are gearing up to lead the UK’s hydrogen economy.

Jason Faulkner, Deputy CEO of the Education Training Collective, put it best:

“To demonstrate hydrogen technology at the college helps massively, turning theory into practice and allowing students, apprentices and delegates to see hydrogen in action in a real environment.”

By integrating hydrogen refuelling systems and three Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicles into its training programmes, the college is directly connecting academic learning to the fast-evolving clean transport landscape.

A Living Lab for Hydrogen Transport

The facility complements the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, including the upcoming permanent refuelling station at Teesside International Airport, forming a connected ecosystem of hydrogen infrastructure, industry partnerships, and workforce development.

As Sarah Walker, Interim Director of Business Solutions at Tees Valley Combined Authority, highlighted:

“We are bringing thousands of highly skilled jobs to Tees Valley, but it is vital local people have the right training to take advantage of the career opportunities available.”

This localised training approach ensures that the next generation of technicians, engineers, and fleet managers are ready to support the growing deployment of hydrogen-powered transport, from heavy-duty logistics to municipal fleets and beyond.

Hydrogen in Practice, Not Just in Theory

Hydrasun’s Neil Holmes summed up the project’s wider impact:

“This initiative offers an exciting opportunity for students and the future workforce to engage with hydrogen systems. It helps them demystify hydrogen technology in a practical, everyday setting, while equipping them with valuable skills for the future.”

ZeroMission’s Take

At ZeroMission, we see this as exactly the type of ecosystem thinking the clean transport transition needs, bridging education, innovation, and deployment.

Hydrogen transport is not just about vehicles and infrastructure, it is about people. The engineers, data analysts, and system operators who will make zero-emission logistics viable at scale are being trained right here in Teesside.

This initiative shows what is possible when regional authorities, industry innovators, and education providers work hand in hand. It is a model worth replicating across the UK and Europe as hydrogen mobility continues to accelerate.

Reach out to our expert team at zeromission