Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop educational provision for emerging renewables infrastructure so that the relevant engineering skills and training are sufficient to sustain the industry.

The government is committed to the UK becoming a Clean Energy Superpower, achieving clean power by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Skills have a crucial role to play in achieving this mission.

The department is working to ensure the English skills system supports learners, workers and employers to prepare for jobs in renewable energy. This includes the new growth and skills offer, which will prioritise investment that supports economic growth, increases opportunity, better meets employers’ skills needs and increases investment in skills shortage areas.

Other reforms include the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) and Skills England. The LLE will launch in the 2026/27 academic year and will broaden access to high-quality, flexible education and training by providing funding for full courses as well as modules of high-value courses.

Skills England is a new body which will provide authoritative assessments of skills needs, ensure a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships and technical qualifications and work with devolved areas and regional organisations to ensure skills needs are met. Skills England published its first report in September, highlighting the skills needed to support targets on net zero, the Clean Energy Mission and UK targets for environmental improvements. Skills England are working closely with the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which focuses on developing a skilled workforce in core energy and net zero sectors, including renewables.

There is already considerable provision for the skills key to renewable infrastructure in delivery across England. For example:

• Over 40 of the occupational standards that underpin technical education in England are directly supportive of the clean energy industry. This includes the wind turbine technician maintenance and operations engineering technician level 3 and the domestic air source heat pumps and solar thermal systems technician specialism of the plumbing and domestic heating technician level 3.
• Education and training providers must have regard to their local skills improvement plan when making decisions on provision that may be relevant to the skills, capabilities or expertise required now or in the future in their area. This is particularly important for areas with major renewable energy projects.
• There are an extensive number of vocational education courses available in further education (FE) settings for renewable energy skills. For example, Skills Bootcamps in Renewable Energy and level 3 awards in installing solar PV panels.

Employers have a crucial role to play in ensuring skills products are up to date and providing the knowledge and training learners need for jobs in the renewable energy industry. Employers can contribute in a range of ways including participating in route reviews or trailblazers for occupational standards, providing industrial placement or work experience opportunities for young people and working with careers hubs to provide up to date industry information. It is also crucial that employers communicate their skills and workforce needs with their local FE training providers to enable those providers to know what provision to offer.