Energy secretary Ed Miliband has unveiled a national plan to train people for an extra 400,000 green jobs over the next five years, doubling the number of people working in green industries by 2030. The scheme will focus on training those coming from fossil fuel jobs, school leavers, the unemployed, veterans and ex-offenders.
As part of the plan, 31 skilled trades will be designated as priorities for recruitment and training, with plumbers, heating and ventilation installers at the top of the list, requiring an additional 8,000 to 10,000 by 2030. Carpenters, electricians and welders are next, with 4,000 to 8,500 extra of each needed.
Miliband said the plan would involve measures to ensure companies receiving public grants and contracts create good jobs across the clean energy sector, and promote greater trade union recognition and collective bargaining. The announcement was welcomed by unions including Unite and the GMB.
Other announcements include five new technical excellence colleges, skills pilots in Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire backed by £2.5m, and a programme to match veterans with careers in solar, wind and nuclear sectors. Government research suggests 13,700 unemployed people already possess many of the skills required for key clean energy roles.
Miliband also highlighted that jobs in wind, nuclear and electricity networks advertise average salaries over £50,000, compared with the UK average of £37,000, and are spread across coastal and post-industrial communities.
