Page 16 - Neath Port Talbot Skills Report 2024

Lightcast™
. 2023
Leading the switch to net zero industry: new £20 million facility to help develop a green economy in Wales - Swansea University
DARE - The Neath Port Talbot Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy Strategy – Neath Port Talbot Council (npt.gov.uk)
• Homes as Power Stations
• Centres of Excellence FLEXIS
• Smart Low Carbon Town
• Street lighting
The skills required for these projects are extensive
and will require a large upskill process from
traditional building practices to newer sustainable
processes that effect the planning, consenting,
building, supply chain and ongoing maintenance.
Construction jobs in the region have declined by 10%
since 2003 whilst Wales and the UK are seeing up to
a 20% increase in the same timeframe.
It is estimated by 2028, for retrofit alone, an
additional 12,000 jobs will be needed in Wales to
achieve the ambitious retrofit programme. With
around 62,000 households within the county, NPT will
require the current workforce to upskill and attract
new people to the sector which currently employs
around 5,500 people with around 17% of these due
to retire in the next 10 years.
Combine this with the construction skills needed for
all of the DARE initiatives Construction skills will be
vital.
Figure 2 identifies that job postings for
construction trades have been steadily
increasing since 2018 and this mirrors a 69%
increase in advertised wages since 2020
(£20,000 median to £35,000)
The requirement is not just for skilled trade
jobs, civil engineers, project managers,
planning, architects etc will all be required
due to the county currently having very low
levels of current jobs attributed to these roles.
The above analysis is taken from current job
roles; however, Trust Mark and Homes as
Power Stations will need new skills such as:
• Trust Mark (retrofit) assessors
• PAS accreditation
• Construction methods sustainability
• Smart sensor technology
• Green walls and buildings
• Sustainable materials
• Supply chain sustainability
• Environmental and ecological assessment
Construction Trades jobs NPT trend
Job postings for Construction jobs NPT trend
Construction - Buildings & Spaces
Figure 1
Figure 2
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