Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the future level of skills needed to attract and train young people in the responsible extraction and recycling of critical minerals in the UK.

In February, the Critical Minerals Association, in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, will host a workshop focusing on the challenges and opportunities in developing skills for critical mineral domestic midstream and recycling capabilities. The workshop will bring together stakeholders from across the UK critical minerals value chain to identify actionable recommendations for how the government can best support skills and development.

Skills England refers to critical minerals in its September 2024 report ‘Driving growth and widening opportunities’, where it highlights the need for physical scientists and engineers to support the UK’s clean energy sectors. In the report, Skills England also commits to providing an authoritative assessment of skills needs, gathering insights from sector stakeholders including employers, sector-owning departments, and unions. This will inform priorities for technical education funding and decision-making. In November, Skills England undertook extensive engagement with over 700 stakeholders including employers in manufacturing and clean energy industries.

There is a range of skills products which help meet the skills needs of critical minerals industries, including apprenticeships and higher education courses. These include, for instance, degree apprenticeships in mine management and geoscience, as well as the level 2 material processing plant operator apprenticeship, which can be used for mining activities. The Camborne School of Mining also offers the UK’s only Bachelor of Engineering in mining engineering.