Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) apprenticeships and (b) training programmes provide the requisite skills for the (i) the clean energy and (ii) Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage sectors.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs is engaging widely with industry experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition. It has recently launched the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport to support oil and gas workers into new roles in the clean energy sector.

In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS. CCUS could support up to 50,000 jobs as the sector matures into the 2030s.

The government is also transforming the existing Apprenticeship Levy into a growth and skills offer which will allow employers to invest in a wider range of training.