Wonderful Worksop’s Hidden Powerhouse
Tucked away in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, the National Fluid Power Centre (NFPC) isn’t a household name – but it underpins some of the biggest industrial-sectors in the UK.
This blog explores what makes NFPC unique, why it matters, and how its presence resonates far beyond its local footprint.
What is the NFPC?
At its core, NFPC is a UK-based specialist training and competence-centre focused on fluid power systems: hydraulics, pneumatics, electro-hydraulics, control systems, and integrated systems engineering.
Here are the key facts:
- Located in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
- Recognised as a BFPA certified CETOP Education Centre.
- Chartered to deliver Competence-Based Qualifications (CBQs) levels 1, 2 and 3 in the UK, especially in fluid power / integrated systems engineering.
- Equipped with three fully-equipped technical centres onsite, with millions of pounds worth of up-to-date equipment.
- Works in partnership with 50-60+ national and international companies through an advisory / strategic group.
Why it’s unique
What sets NFPC apart from typical training providers and colleges?
1. Depth and specialisation
Most training centres offer general courses. NFPC specialises intimately in fluid power, hydraulics/pneumatics and control systems – supporting industries such as manufacturing, mobile plant, offshore, renewable energy.
They’re the only UK provider offering CETOP competence-based qualifications across all three levels in this domain.
2. Industry integration
Rather than being isolated academic training, NFPC embeds industry partners deeply: equipment from major manufacturers (Bosch Rexroth, Parker, Hydac etc) used in the training rigs, advisory groups of industry leaders guiding curriculum.
This ensures the training is aligned to real world systems, real world equipment, and real world demands – not just abstract theory.
3. Practical, state-of-the-art facilities
With “three fully equipped technical centres” and equipment stock worth millions of pounds, NFPC gives trainees hands-on, real-equipment experience, which is rare.
This practical aspect means engineers and technicians leave better prepared for the demands of modern systems engineering.
4. Wide sector reach and flexibility
They serve more than 300 major companies across the UK and internationally, covering 25+ sectors of industry.
They also offer bespoke training: either on their site or on-site at customer premises tailored to specific machinery or systems.
This breadth and flexibility gives NFPC a unique niche: not just “college training” but a specialist industrial centre serving both education and business.
5. Local anchor with national/global impact
Though physically in Worksop, NFPC’s impact is national (UK wide) and international in terms of company partners, equipment and certifications. That’s a rare blend: a local institution with global connections.
What it means for the Worksop area community
Beyond training, the presence of NFPC brings multiple benefits to the local community.
- Local Employment and Skills Pathway: For young people in Worksop and the wider North Nottinghamshire region, NFPC offers a distinctive engineering and technical training pathway that could lead to high-value careers (rather than migrating elsewhere).
- Industrial Regeneration: Having a centre of excellence in a more rural/post-industrial region helps anchor advanced manufacturing, training, and skills in the area – contributing to regional economic resilience.
- Community Access and Awareness: NFPC organises open days (for example an Industry Open Day in October 2025) which bring schools, aspirant engineers and the community into contact with advanced industrial technology.
- Boosting Local Prestige: The existence of a “world-class” specialised training facility adds to the identity of Worksop and surrounding region as a hub for technical excellence, not just a satellite town.
Challenges and opportunities ahead
No organisation is without challenges; NFPC has both the opportunities and the need to evolve.
- Keeping Up with Rapid Technology Change: Industries such as fluid power, hydraulics, automation, control are moving quickly (digitalisation, predictive maintenance, IoT). NFPC continues investing in equipment, curriculum, and staff to remain ahead and they’ve already shown this, e.g., upgrades under the Skills Accelerator Project.
- Outreach and Diversity of Learners: Ensuring that the training opportunities reach under-represented groups, younger students and local residents who might not traditionally see engineering as a pathway and NFPC reaches out through its partners to support this.
- Industry Demand Matching: Ensuring that the training provided is exactly aligned with what local and national employers need – so that learners convert into jobs and industry sees value. NFPC’s unique free online assessment helps with this.
- Community Integration: The facility serves national/international clients, as well as ensuring its connection to the local community remains strong (schools, colleges, apprenticeships) which help maintains local benefit as well as national prestige.
Why does this matter for our Worksop community?
Whether or not you’re into hydraulics or engineering per se, NFPC matters because:
- It’s an example of how specialist training infrastructure can help bridge skills gaps in advanced manufacturing/engineering.
- It shows how a regional centre can have national and even international reach – demonstrating how places like Worksop can host “centres of excellence”.
- If you’re a student, a parent, a local business – this centre provides real opportunities for careers, growth, supply-chain engagement, or up-skilling staff.
- From a broader standpoint, as industries transition (automation, digital control, low-carbon manufacturing) training centres like NFPC become critical infrastructure. Their success has ripple effects: better jobs, better productivity, regional resilience.
The National Fluid Power Centre is quietly powerful and highly unique. A specialist training hub with deep industry integration, high-level practical equipment, a national footprint and a local base in Worksop.
If you’re based locally, or have an interest in engineering, manufacturing, or technical careers, NFPC is definitely worth knowing about. It stands at the intersection of education, industry, skills and community.