Spencer Allan

What is your role at Newcastle College?

I’m an Energy Academy Lecturer, teaching across a range of levels from Level 1 through to Level 3, and occasionally supporting higher education students as well.

I cover a wide range of subjects including maths, health and safety, sustainability, maintenance and project management — so it’s quite varied.

What was your journey into this role?

I left school in 2019 and came to Newcastle College to study a Level 3 BTEC in Renewable Energy.

From there, I progressed through Levels 4, 5 and 6 at the Energy Academy, studying Energy Engineering. After graduating, I came back as a part-time lecturer and then moved into a full-time role.

What attracted you to teaching?

It wasn’t something I’d really considered at first.

The opportunity came up and I thought I’d give it a go, push myself out of my comfort zone and see what it was like. I ended up really enjoying it and realised it was something I was good at, so I decided to pursue it.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Seeing the students progress!

Especially with Level 1 students - they often come in straight from school, quite shy and unsure of themselves. Watching them build confidence, develop their skills and come out of their shell over time is really rewarding.

You can really see them grow, both personally and professionally.

What is the Energy Academy like as a place to study and work?

It’s a really tight-knit community.

Even if you don’t teach certain students, you still know them - everyone gets along and there’s a good atmosphere across the academy. That makes it a great place to both study and work.

What are the facilities like?

We’ve got some fantastic facilities here.

There are dedicated welding workshops with industry-leading equipment, wind turbine simulators and a wide range of specialist kit used across courses. On the higher education side, we also have things like drones.

With the new building coming as well, there’s going to be even more space and equipment, which is really exciting.

Why is it important to train the next generation of engineers?

Because there’s a real demand for skilled workers in the region.

There are always jobs opening up locally, and those roles need to be filled. We work closely with companies along the river who come to us looking for apprentices and work placements, so being able to prepare students and help them move into those roles is really important.

What are your thoughts on the future of the Energy Academy?

I’m really looking forward to the expansion.

The new building is going to help us bring in more students and train more people to meet the growing demand in the industry. It will also help address the skills gap in the North East and create even more opportunities for learners.

What would you say to someone considering studying here?

As someone who studied here and now teaches here, I’d definitely recommend it.

You’re learning using industry-standard equipment, and with the expansion, that’s only going to improve even further. The facilities here are some of the best in the local area, especially for renewable energy and engineering.