Government launches training support to introduce workers into clean energy jobs
Workers across the UK will be supported with government-backed training programmes so they can benefit from thousands of new job opportunities in the clean energy sector, the government announced this week.
The training programmes are part of the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission.
Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy, such as offshore wind, nuclear and solar industries. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030.
“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 said.
As part of this drive, the government has launched a ‘skills passport’, in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, the statement said. Oil & gas workers will be able to access the skills passport online, which will initially help them identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance.
“These initiatives will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40bn of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country,” the statement said. It went on to say: “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.”
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said the Plan for Change is intended to protect the country from “the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets” but also to “reindustrialise Britain with thousands of well-paid, good union jobs in industrial communities”.
MSP and acting cabinet secretary for net zero and energy Gillian Martin said: “It is absolutely vital that we recognise and retain the considerable skills of oil & gas workers and ensure they are supported, as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring a fair and just transition for Scotland.
“That’s why the Scottish Government has provided £3.7m of funding to support oil & gas and renewables industries to jointly develop the Energy Skills Passport – helping to ensure that the skills, experience and expertise of oil & gas workers are harnessed and that they are ready to apply for the long-term sustainable jobs that are created as part of our fair and managed transition to net zero.
“I welcome the pilot phase of the passport, which has been three years in the making and I look forward to seeing further developments in the coming months.”
Many of the skills required for the transition already exist, with research from Offshore Energies UK showing that 90% of oil & gas workers have skills that are relevant to the clean energy transition.
From this week, workers will be able to create an account to access the four career pathways currently available, helping them identify where their existing qualifications are recognised. Led by Renewable UK and Offshore Energies UK, and supported by the UK and funding from Scottish Government, the tool will be expanded over the coming year to recognise other pathways from oil & gas into the renewable sector.
Funding will initially be given to Cheshire West and Chester, North and North-East Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire, as significant work identifying skills has already been done for Aberdeen. All four areas will be considered for further funding for targeted measures such as new training centres and courses to upskill workers. This could support the offshore wind sector in South Wales, or nuclear fuel cluster in Cheshire. Around £1m will be available for each area, with local and devolved partners empowered to develop their own plans for how best to target the funding.
Employers will also get a handbook which highlights where businesses can access support to grow and upskill their workforce. This will include, for example, sector-based work academy programmes, which help jobseekers into the sector, ensuring they have the necessary skills to deliver clean power by 2030.
It comes as the government recently confirmed that contracts have been signed for the UK’s first carbon capture project in Teesside.
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