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testing and adjusting – the future of apprenticeships

THE ROAD AHEAD

According to National Grid, this
decade alone the industry must:
Increase low carbon electricity
generation by around 50 per cent,
from sources such as wind or
solar power
Install low carbon heating systems
in around 2.8 million homes
Develop carbon capture usage
and storage (CCUS) technology,
and develop hydrogen networks
Install circa 60,000 charging
points to power approximately 11
million electric vehicles

The challenges we face:
Loss of existing talent due to a
baby boomer retirement crunch
Competition for skilled workers
from other sectors, such as
finance and technology
Limited pipeline of young people
choosing science, technology,
engineering and mathematics
(STEM) qualifications
Lack of diversity

passed back to their governments. target the resources and efforts to on the age or level of eligibility for
Apprenticeship reforms are needed maximum effect and use this insightful apprenticeships – offering the sector
to improve the experiences of UK research to help apprenticeship policy room to move to attract the best minds
employers and employees. progress to support the needs of the from across our diverse communities.
whole UK economy. The report concludes that more
6. From T-Levels to apprenticeships The Energy & Utilities Skills needs to be done to steer and inform
The industry is positive about the Partnership’s Workforce Renewal and the reforms. By extending the
introduction of the English T-Levels, Skills Strategy 2020 states that 221,000 employer-led approach to all parts
but calls for more transparency and new workers will be required across of apprenticeships and ensuring
detail on the pathways from T-Levels the energy and utilities sector by 2025, employers see the levy arrangements
to apprenticeships and employment. and this number is echoed by National as fair and transparent, the sector
The sector is keen to see T-Levels Grid’s recent report, Building the Net will deliver quality apprenticeships that
and apprenticeships working as one Zero Energy Workforce. That report will drive productivity and enable our
continuous process. Currently, there identified that we’ll need 117,000 new workforce and sector to play their role
is no clear view on how a young workers across the energy sector in the in meeting our challenging
person with a T-Level could proceed next decade, with a great many of these climate goals.
to an apprenticeship. It also calls for needed in the gas industry.
further clarity on the how the English According to recent research by Energy & Utility Skills is at the
programme will work within the nations. YouGov, 78 per cent of people think forefront of bringing our industry
they should play a role in the UK’s leaders together to identify and address
What is clear from our report is journey to net zero. This presents the skills challenges our sector faces.
that employers in the sector want to us with a real opportunity to attract It provides membership, assurance
take immediate action. They wish to and retain the best apprentices into and skills solutions to help employers
accelerate the gains being made by the industry with passion, skills and attract, develop and retain a sustainable
identifying new opportunities that diverse ideas to drive us into the net skilled workforce. It collaborates with
link directly back to government and zero generation. And as we move employers to support their workforce
environmental policy. Their track forward with pace, we are likely to need needs and sector-wide workforce
record of turning policy reform theory a different mix of skills to deliver future mobility. For more information, visit
into practice makes them a tried and infrastructure and innovation projects. www.euskills.co.uk or check out the IGEM
tested partner for government. It is time Our report also calls on the research & policy hub for the latest skills
to step back, draw breath, talk candidly, government not to place restrictions analysis at www.igem.org.uk

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