Joint programme helps apprentices and Year in Industry students build resilience, leadership and teamwork during nine-day charity voyage
GEV Wind Power, RWE, and Humber-wide charity CatZero are celebrating the successful completion of an ambitious North Sea sailing challenge that brought together apprentices and Year in Industry students to develop the next generation of renewables talent while raising support for CatZero’s life-changing work.
The joint ‘Humber to Hamburg’ programme saw ten participants from RWE and GEV Wind Power sail aboard CatZero’s 72-foot Challenge yacht, supported by CatZero’s experienced team. Departing Grimsby Dock on 19 September, the crew crossed the North Sea to Germany, attended the WindEnergy Hamburg conference, then completed the return leg to Hull, arriving back to the Marina on 28 September.
During the voyage, the RWE and GEV Wind Power participants worked as one crew, taking responsibility for watchkeeping, navigation, sail handling and day-to-day life on board. Guided by CatZero, they developed communication, decision-making, resilience and leadership in unfamiliar and demanding conditions, skills that are essential for safe, successful careers in offshore wind.
The challenge raised awareness and support for CatZero, an independent Humber-wide charity that uses its Challenge yacht and tailored personal development programmes to help children, young people, families, veterans and unemployed adults build confidence and move towards positive outcomes, including employment, education and training.
At WindEnergy Hamburg, the combined crew represented RWE, GEV Wind Power and CatZero on an international stage, met industry professionals and gained a broader view of the global wind sector. The initiative demonstrated the value of employers, the supply chain and the charitable sector working together to invest in the Humber’s future workforce.
Pete Tighe, CatZero Partnership and Development Manager:
“Sailing has an incredible way of bringing out the very best in people. The RWE and GEV Wind Power participants showed good humour, resilience and a genuine willingness to support one another throughout the voyage. We are delighted to have worked with both companies on a challenge that develops future wind-industry talent while helping CatZero continue to create life-changing opportunities across the Humber.”
Jessica Wall, RWE Apprentice
“The Humber to Hamburg challenge was an experience I will never forget. From crossing the North Sea to representing RWE at WindEnergy Hamburg, every part of the journey pushed me beyond my comfort zone and showed me how important communication, trust and teamwork are. Working alongside apprentices from GEV Wind Power and the CatZero team helped me build confidence and resilience, and I am proud that we were able to support such an important Humber charity while developing skills that I will take forward throughout my career in offshore wind.”
Klay Thordarson-Overington, GEV Wind Power Junior Project Coordinator
“Even though it was daunting at first, I’m glad I took the opportunity to do this alongside CatZero and the other apprentices at GEV Wind Power and RWE. The first few days at sea weren’t the easiest but it challenged me and pushed me to build on my skills and confidence. It is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
By combining RWE’s commitment to early careers, GEV Wind Power’s focus on developing the next generation of wind technicians and CatZero’s expertise in transformational personal development, the partners created an experience that extended well beyond the workplace. The programme also highlighted the collaborative strength of the Humber’s offshore wind community and its shared commitment to skills, opportunity and regional impact.
ENDS
GEV Wind Power: GEV Wind Power, established in 2010 and headquartered in the UK, is a market leader in wind turbine maintenance and services, specialising in blade inspection, repair, retrofits and rope-access solutions for the wind energy sector, both onshore and offshore. GEV Wind Power has offices in the UK, Poland, Denmark, United States, Canada, Taiwan and across Australia. For further information visit: https://www.gevwindpower.com.
RWE: RWE is leading the way to a green energy world. With its investment and growth strategy Growing Green, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is already one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. Between 2024 and 2030, RWE will invest 55 billion euros worldwide in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy, batteries, flexible generation, and hydrogen projects. By the end of the decade, the company’s green portfolio will grow to more than 65 gigawatts of generation capacity, which will be perfectly complemented by global energy trading. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net-zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.
CatZero: Founded in 2009, CatZero is an independent Humber-wide charity delivering life-changing personal development programmes for people of all ages, including children, young people, families, veterans and unemployed adults. At the centre of many programmes is CatZero’s 72-foot Challenge yacht – used not just for sailing but as a powerful catalyst for confidence, teamwork and transformation.
Many participants join at a point of crisis, out of work or disengaged from education. CatZero provides a pathway to break this cycle, helping people into employment, education or training while improving health, wellbeing and community engagement.
Using the nationally recognised Social Value Engine, CatZero’s SROI shows the value created for every £1 spent. In 2025, total social impact was £6,454,370.07 — for every £1 invested, £8.04 was returned in social value.
Charity number: 1131251
Website: www.catzero.org
