THE next generation of shale gas workers will be trained in the North-East, college bosses have revealed.

Redcar and Cleveland College (RCC) says it will act as a national hub to nurture engineers for fracking.

The move is part of Government plans to create a National Centre for Oil and Gas, aimed at targeting the shale gas market, which ministers say could create more than 60,000 supply chain jobs.

The technique of targeting shale gas, which is known as fracking, drills into rock to fracture it with high pressure liquid to extract gas.

However, the Government has been accused by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) of overhyping fracking's benefits.

The National College move came as RCC revealed plans for a £7.4m oil and gas training academy, which has received support from Tees Valley Unlimited Local Enterprise Partnership, the industry and Teesside University.

Bosses at RCC say it will be one of three colleges supporting the National College, and will deliver courses on areas such as drilling, petroleum engineering and pipeline engineering.

They added they hope the agreement will be the catalyst to start running overseas training centres.

It is understood the National College could be operating by the 2016-2017 school year.

Gary Groom, RCC principal, said it already offers oil and gas training to overseas workers from Libya, but its bid for funding from the Government’s Local Growth Fund to build its academy and its inclusion in the National College will allow it to expand.

He said: “This will put us at the heart of international specialist training and has the potential to have a huge impact on Tees Valley’s economy and the wider North-East.

“We will be providing specialist training to workers in the sector and the next generation, boosting job prospects and helping to fill the growing skills gap.

“As part of the National College, it will be accessible to all.”

Jointly funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the onshore oil and gas industry, the National College will be headquartered in Blackpool, with support from pump firm Weir Group, which operates a service centre, near Billingham, Stockton.

Further support will come from the University of Chester, Highbury College Portsmouth, and the University of Strathclyde.

Business Minister Matthew Hancock, said shale gas was an industry the UK couldn’t afford to miss.

He said: “Its supply chain could create 64,500 jobs, and only by arming people with skills can we provide career opportunities for thousands and help the UK economy remain strong.”

However, Professor Jim Watson, UKERC research director, rejected the claims.

He added: "It is very frustrating to keep hearing that shale gas is going to solve our energy problems – there’s no evidence for that whatsoever, it's hype.

"It’s extraordinary ministers keep making these statements.

"They clearly want to create a narrative, and at the moment there is no evidence on how shale gas will develop in the UK.

"Shale gas has been completely oversold, and it’s very misleading for the public."