Welding the Future of Industry in Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Cllr. Steve Hunt brought his own welding expertise to Talbot Wharf, visiting JES Group Ltd and their Skills Academy, where the next generation of welders, fabricators and pipe-fitters are being trained to tackle the UK’s critical skills shortage.

Cllr. Hunt praised the Academy, saying:

  "People talk about a ‘Green Economy’ and achieving ‘Net Zero,’ but none of that is possible without the ‘black skills’ of welding, fabrication, and pipe-fitting. From offshore wind platforms to hydrogen electrolysers and solar panels, welding is what builds the future."

Justin Johnson, JES Group Director, thanked Neath Port Talbot Council for their vital support:

 "With the Council’s advice and backing, The Skills Academy has become the leading centre for training work-ready welders, ensuring every graduate leaves equipped for immediate employment."

Addressing the UK’s acute shortage of welders, the Academy’s intense, hands-on training programmes, delivered by expert instructors and backed by a highly experienced mentoring programme, are equipping graduates with the skills to power industries like renewable energy, carbon capture, and Green Steel manufacturing—essential for a net-zero economy.

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Pictured inside The Skills Academy’s state of the art, 20 bay welding training complex on Port Talbot Docks, Talbot Wharf are from L-R Justin Johnson (Director JES Group Ltd), NPT Council Leader Cllr.Steve Hunt, Jake Neale (Senior Instructor The Skills Academy) and Sam Owen (Head of Academy, The Skills Academy)

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