Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’

Young people will be trained to fill thousands of clean energy jobs and apprenticeships needed to deliver clean power by 2030 as part of the government’s Plan for Change to get Britain working and unlock growth.  

The Energy Secretary has told industry, unions and trade bodies that the government will work with them to build a clean power army to hit ambitious targets for clean power by 2030 at a forum convened with the Work and Pensions Secretary today (Monday 7 April 2025).  

The transition to clean power will create thousands of opportunities across the sector, from renewables to upgrading the UK’s grid infrastructure.  

National Grid alone plans to support around 55,000 more jobs by the end of the decade and SSE Transmission plans are supporting a further 37,000 jobs, 17,500 of which would be in Scotland. Scottish Power’s SP Energy Networks plans to double its transmission workforce to create around 1,400 jobs and support a further 11,000 jobs across the UK – with all 3 plans subject to approvals by the regulator.    

The government is driving forward with Regional Skills Pilot in the clean energy sector. Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030, which will protect households and businesses from unstable fossil fuel markets for good. 

Funding could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers – supporting local people into opportunities in industries such as welding, electrical engineering, and construction.    

The government is wasting no time in investing in good jobs for British industries, including thousands of new, skilled jobs being supported in the North East of England as contracts for the first carbon capture, usage and storage were signed in December, following a £21.7 billion commitment from the government to ensure the UK’s vision for CCUS becomes a reality. The government has also invested £55 million for port of Cromarty, to transform it into a major hub for the UK’s world-leading floating offshore wind industry, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and generating growth.  

The latest CBI Economics figures show jobs supported by net zero sectors increased by 10% last year, with the average annual wage across the sector at £43,000 – £5,600 higher than the national average.  

The push to support more clean energy jobs comes as the government delivers the most ambitious reforms of the UK’s energy system in a generation and record investment into homegrown clean energy projects. 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said  

The energy sector has always been a source of good, skilled, and unionised jobs for young people across the UK, providing secure, well-paid employment for life.   

To meet our target to reach clean power by 2030, we need a clean power army of engineers, welders and technicians – giving thousands of young people the opportunity to play a vital role in tackling the climate crisis, increasing our energy security and boosting the economy to deliver our Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said    

With almost a million young people neither earning nor learning it is vital that we give this generation the tools they need to seize the opportunity that is the clean energy transition.  

Our plan to Get Britian Working will overhaul employment support, giving everyone the tools and skills they need to and build a stronger, more prosperous future for them and their families.

The government launched its Get Britain Working white paper late last year, outlining the biggest employment reforms in a generation and boost employment including reforming Jobcentres to create a genuinely public employment service so everyone can get personalised skills and employment support, as well as a Youth Guarantee ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn. Alongside government work to drive up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.  

The government is working closely with employers to train up Britain’s young people to seize clean energy opportunities. Trade unions will also have an essential role in building the UK’s skilled energy workforce, with the government determined to drive world-class pay, terms, and conditions in the clean energy sector. The government is already driving better access and conditions for unions in the energy sector- since July EDF Renewables UK and Ireland have signed one of the first renewables industry recognition agreements with Prospect, Unite, GMB and UNISON.   

The government has also launched Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions.    

Opportunities are already being created through a number of schemes and initiatives to deliver training and skills for apprentices and workers transitioning from the fossil fuel sector, including innovative schemes such as the  

• Skills Passport This supports oil and gas workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance
• Your Apprenticeship app A new app designed by the government with extensive input from apprentices to provide easier access to essential tools, resources, and support to help apprentices to thrive in their qualification

Whilst driving up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.  

CBI Economics analysis commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that the net zero sector already contributes £83 billion annually to the UK economy, with further investment into projects predicted to grow this even further.  

Government research has also revealed the extent in which apprenticeships can help drive this growth, with apprentices in England across the economy estimated to create £25 billion of economic growth over their lifetime.  

Through investment and initiatives, the government will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40 billion of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country. This underscores the government’s commitment to deliver a jobs-rich clean energy transition, putting communities and trade unions at the heart of the UK’s clean energy future.    

Notes to editors

Skills is a devolved policy area, and therefore the remit of Skills England and the Your Apprenticeship App will only cover England. However, Skills England will assess skills needs across the whole of the UK and DESNZ is working closely with the devolved governments on ensuring we have the skilled workforce for the clean energy transition, including through the Regional Skills Pilots.   

The RIIO T3 business plans for the UK’s 3 electricity transmission companies are all subject to approval by the energy regulator Ofgem.