Bright Futures’ research sheds light on greens skills needed to transform energy workforce

Bright Futures’ research sheds light on greens skills needed to transform energy workforceCity & Guilds calls for urgent action to help meet workforce challenges as the UK transitions towards a low carbon economy.In April 2022, the Government released its British Energy Security Strategy , setting out its aim for 95% of British electricity to be low carbon by 2030, for full decarbonisation of the electricity system by 2035, and for the UK to reach Net Zero by 2050.MEETING THE LOW-CARBON FUTURE: BRIDGING THE SKILLS GAPPhasing out high carbon energy sources such as oil and gas, and dramatically scaling up low / zero carbon energy sources such as nuclear and hydrogen, is fundamental to achieving this aim.Worryingly, what’s less widely recognised or understood right now is the dramatic shift in skills and labour markets needed to underpin the move to a low carbon future. The impact will be felt across many sectors: according to research by the Place-based Climate Action Network (PCAN), around 6.3 million jobs in the UK – roughly one in five – will be affected by the transition, with millions of workers experiencing changes in demand for their skills.To rise to this challenge, it’s clear we need a skills system that’s capable of supporting a broad and diverse range of new entrants into the sector, whilst also helping those already in the sector to transition to high-demand roles; roles where their existing skills – supported by supplementary training and certification – will be essential if we’re to meet our targets as a country.Yet at the moment there is a mismatch between the ambitions for change, and the support needed if our skills system is to get us there.BRIGHT FUTURES: DECARBONISING THE UK’S ENERGY WORKFORCEOur latest report, ‘Bright Futures: Decarbonising the UK’s Energy Workforce’ , explores this mismatch and examines the barriers facing workers in key sectors. The results are concerning, with only 33% of the workers we surveyed believing they have the skills they need to secure a job in the emerging green economy, and only a quarter (26%) of workers saying they know where to go to gain those skills.It perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise that workers are confused when the policy environment itself is so uncertain, seemingly driven by the short-term vagaries of party-politics rather than the long-term planning we need; the headlines following recent bi-election results are a case in point.That’s why City & Guilds is calling for urgent steps to be taken to give the clarity, commitment and collaboration so vital for our skill system to rise to the net zero challenge:- First, Government should lead the charge by providing more certainty about the long-term future direction of the UK’s energy industry, working in partnership with business to unlock the skills required to achieve this. We are calling for a green skills roadmap running to 2035 as part of a national strategy for inclusive growth;- Second (and to support this), there should be a joint minister for green skills development across the Department for Education, Department for Business & Trade, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and HM Treasury to ensure that the right focus and investment is placed on this agenda and that plans are not created in isolation;- Third, we need clear and transparent monitoring of low carbon skills requirements and developments in line with the move to net zero through a government-backed annual state of the nation report. This should be aligned with national infrastructure plans and reporting from the National Infrastructure Commission. It should include data on investment and skills gaps across sectors and regions, as well as employer progression towards shifting to green jobs, all set in the context of the wider transition;- Fourth, we need real focus on lifelong training pathways to upskill and reskill new or existing employees, with employers opening their doors to a wider pool of diverse cand...