This year’s conference is focused on green skills and jobs. In this blog, Liam Burns from specialist recruiters Chronos Energy consider the skills challenges ahead.

The UK has pledged to be carbon net-zero by 2050. This presents a huge challenge, with diverse problems and answers. From Chronos Energy’s perspective, the largest challenge in achieving net-zero will be the availability of relevant skill sets that allow organisations to grow to meet the target set by the government. This perspective is born out of being recruiters in the Low Carbon market, particularly Low Carbon Heat. Currently, the majority of discourse around meeting the Government’s carbon targets tends to revolve around the source of the energy & energy technologies, totally neglecting the skill shortage that is around the corner.

As we all know, it is essential for the future of the planet that emissions are lowered, eventually reaching net-zero. However, the implications of inadequate action are affecting the UK economy as we speak. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) recently published that 660,000 jobs could be at risk if the UK fails to reach net-zero as quickly as other nations. The TUC also stated that the UK ranks second bottom amongst G7 economies for its investment in green infrastructure and jobs. The challenge is steep, but achievable with the correct measures.  

Given Chronos Energy have a particular focus and vested interest in the Low Carbon Heat transition, let’s look at the challenge in this sector. Heat makes up about 37% of the UK’s carbon output if industrial processes are taken into account. The UK government has invested in Heat Networks, Heat Pumps and Hydrogen as well as banning installation of gas boilers in new homes from 2025. The Green Jobs Taskforce has also recently looked at how the UK can create 250,000 new green jobs by 2030. Regardless of what one feels is the best technical course of action to tackle this challenge (Heat Networks, Renewables, Heat Pumps, Hydrogen), more action needs to be taken to ensure the workforce is available.

Companies & organisations within the sector need to invest more heavily in graduate & apprenticeship schemes. This is possibly the most important step a company in this sector can take to ensure long-term success in contribution to the nation’s carbon goals, as well as their own commercial success. There is a skills shortage: not all of this can be solved by Government’s action or by people transferring from other industries. Energy Services companies and Design & Build contractors need to develop graduate schemes for a number of disciplines; this is particularly important in light of the skill shortage caused by Brexit.

There is already a drastic shortage of Field Engineers and this is before the planned 600,000 per year heat pump roll out that the Prime Minister is seeking. This in part can be addressed by companies creating apprenticeship schemes. Heating manufacturers and distributers must develop apprenticeship schemes to meet the growth in Heat Networks, Heat Pumps & Hydrogen.

The skill shortage challenge in the Low Carbon Heat sector will also be addressed by people transferring from adjacent industries into this sector. For example, an engineer in Oil & Gas could transfer easily into the Hydrogen sector, a Boiler Engineer could transfer to Heat Networks, a Sustainability Consultant could move into purely focusing on heat usage. Further action by industry bodies and the Government is necessary to promote that it is possible to migrate into this sector. The problem is that a high number of candidates do not realise that they have the skill set to do this. Companies within the sector also need to be more receptive to taking candidates from transferable industries. We have found this to be a huge problem: if hiring companies won’t look outside the sector to some extent, then we are doomed to at worst failure, at best slow progress.

To conclude, we all need to consider how this skill shortage will be met. Government investments and legislation will be pivotal in addressing this; however, this alone will not be enough. Companies and organisations must develop graduate & apprenticeship schemes. We all must promote the agenda more, allowing people to understand they can either enter or migrate to the sector. When hiring, we also have to ensure that we are willing to allow candidates with transferable skills to enter the sector.

The ADE and the Energy Institute would like to thank Chronos Energy for their support for this year’s Heat and Decentralised Energy conference.