Sizewell C pledges to create 500 jobs for people in Ipswich as MP Jack Abbott signs deal
Hundreds of jobs will be created for people in Ipswich during construction of Sizewell C as part of wider employment plans for East Anglia.
Ipswich MP Jack Abbott today signed an agreement with the nuclear plant to guarantee 500 jobs.
More than £45 million in contracts have already been issued to Ipswich-based suppliers, with Sizewell hoping to spend £2 billion on Suffolk businesses.
Mr Abbott welcomed the news, describing it as a significant new investment for his constituency.
He said: “I have long said that the transition to net-zero provides enormous opportunities for our town and our county if we are bold enough to take them.
“Today’s agreement means hundreds of people across Ipswich will have the opportunity to train, retrain or upskill, with a view to gaining secure, well-paid, long-term employment.”
In addition to the jobs, Sizewell C will work with the Department of Work and Pensions to run two job fairs per year. The plant will also sponsor the Suffolk FutureSkills Fair in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
It already works with the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College having expanded their welding and fabrication courses.
In addition, it has also donated £150,000 to the charities Inspire and Project 21.
Mr Abbott added: “My thanks go to Sizewell C for this agreement, and I look forward to continuing working with them in partnership to keep delivering for people in Ipswich and Suffolk – this is just the first step towards a new future.”
Julia Pyke, joint managing director at Sizewell C, said the plant had already pledged that one-third of its workforce – roughly 2,600 people – would come from East Anglia.
At its peak, it is expected that about 7,900 jobs will be needed during the construction phase.
By committing to 500 from Ipswich, she said they could ‘make absolutely sure’ people from the surrounding area would benefit from the ‘incredible opportunities that Sizewell C offers’.
She added: “We’re working with great partners so that we can access the hardest-to-reach groups in the area, and by extending our support for local education institutions like Suffolk New College, we can help ensure that young people have the skills and qualifications to develop their careers here, in our region, building a stronger future for Ipswich.”
