More skills required to meet 2020 energy targets

Improved workforce skills and training is needed to help the UK meet its 2020 energy efficiency targets according to a new building and construction sector analysis.


Carried out by an alliance of four sector skills councils (SSCs): Asset Skills, SummitSkills, CITB-ConstructionSkills and Energy & Utility Skills, the analysis calls for increased policy consistency between the UK and the devolved governments and for better energy training awareness among industry and consumers.

Working together as a Build Up Skills group, the four SSCs focused on the ‘built environment’ which accounts for nearly 47% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.

Their core conclusion is that more research is needed alongside extra funding for energy efficiency training to help raise knowledge and skills among the blue collar workforce such as plumbers, electricians and construction workers.

Asset Skills chief executive Sarah Bentley said there is a clear lack of knowledge and confidence among employers about the green agenda and how it will affect their workforce.

CITB-ConstructionSkills chief executive Mark Farrar added that as the UK makes the transition towards becoming a low carbon economy, the need to invest in skills for the built environment sector was becoming more pressing.

“In the construction sector alone, more than 161,000 skilled workers will be needed to enable the UK to hit its 2020 carbon reduction targets,” he said.

The four SSCs are now undertaking a further programme of research, plus other work, to ensure that the built environment workforce has the skills necessary for the UK to meet its carbon emission reduction targets.

edie staff

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