IDCORE: Supporting Future Talent in Offshore Renewables

Earlier this month we welcomed the board of the EPSRC InDustrial Centre for Doctoral Training for Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE) to the Marine Energy Wales and Marine Energy Test Area (META) offices here in Pembroke Dock. The visit kicked off with a boat trip along the mouth of the Cleddau Estuary to see some of […] The post IDCORE: Supporting Future Talent in Offshore Renewables appeared first on Marine Energy Wales.

Jun 26, 2025 - 19:30

IDCORE: Supporting Future Talent in Offshore Renewables

Earlier this month we welcomed the board of the EPSRC InDustrial Centre for Doctoral Training for Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE) to the Marine Energy Wales and Marine Energy Test Area (META) offices here in Pembroke Dock. The visit kicked off with a boat trip along the mouth of the Cleddau Estuary to see some of our META sites and the industry within the haven.

Joined in the office by industry stakeholders, we heard from Professor David Ingram about IDCORE, a four-year EngD, to find out more about the work going on to support future talent in offshore renewables.

IDCORE: A Summary

IDCORE is an Industry-based Doctoral Training Centre, training students in Offshore Renewable Energy. It is a collaborative partnership between the University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Strathclyde and the Scottish Association for Marne Science (SAMS). Students undertake semesters 1 and 2 of year 1 in Edinburgh, before being based with their sponsoring company for 3 years. Research projects are entirely driven by the sponsoring company and reflect the research focusses of the ORE sector, in real time.

Originally funded in 2011, IDCORE’s impact can be summarised as follows:

Over 100 Research Engineers recruited
91 Journal papers
1,220 citations
Special edition of Ocean Engineering
£M saved in Installation, Cable Routing and O&M from new optimisation
100% Employment record

Engineering Doctorate

The IDCORE training programme is co-designed with industry, alumni, current students and academics and delivered by academics supported by industry, with an emphasis on problem-based learning. The programme covers a range of subjects including engineering, management, environment, design and research.

Professor David Ingram emphasized the importance of site visits and fieldtrips:

“Students need to see real equipment in the real environment. They need to appreciate the size and scale of the problem and hear from industry.”

Sponsoring Companies

The project topics are proposed by the industry sponsoring companies and agreed with IDCORE. Sponsors contribute 1/3 of the cost of training a student (£60,000) and provide workplace accommodation and day-to-day supervision for the students. Sponsoring companies also assist in student recruitment, sit on IDCORE’s Industrial Advisory Board and contribute guest lectures and real-world exercises.

Facilities

The Research Engineers have access to a range of facilities, including those at partner universities and institutions such as Swansea Universities wind tunnel, FastBlade, FloWave, DMAC and Kelvin Hydrodynamics Lab.

“Developing the next generation of thought leaders (CEOs, CTOs, Principal and Lead Engineers) for the offshore renewable energy sector.” – Professor David Ingram

Overview

Hearing about IDCORE, it was clear to see the benefits of working directly with industry partners, highlighting how the IDCORE EngD combines academic depth with practical impact. The experiences of current students and alumni showed how the programme is helping to shape skilled, industry-ready professionals.

Dr Dai Lewis, Senior Academic Engagement Programme Manager at ORE Catapult, said:

“The IDCORE CDT programme has been hugely valuable for us at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
“Having students embedded in our teams has enabled close collaboration on impactful, industry-relevant projects which deliver benefit for the wider offshore renewable energy sector. The programme equips students with strong technical expertise and a deep understanding of innovation within a commercial context. Many former IDCORE students have gone on to join us in permanent roles, bringing practical insight and adding long-term value to our work in offshore renewables.”

Tom Hill, Programme Manager at Marine Energy Wales, said:

The IDCORE programme is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and students alike. It’s creating the next sector’s next CEOs and CTOs, and I’d love to see more Welsh companies getting involved. I urge companies interested in hosting a student to get in touch to find out more.