The star quintet showed outstanding promise among participants in the DNO’s ‘Power Among Us’ programme. They now receive apprenticeships in craft roles related to the capital’s power grid.

The ‘Power Among Us’ programme saw UK Power Networks reaching out for the first time to various youth groups across the capital, to offer work experience for young people from communities so far under-represented in the energy industry.

The initiative was inspired by the UK’s cost-of-living crisis, where significant levels of unemployment are being experienced in London. Opportunities were given to nine individuals not in employment, education or training (aka ‘NEETs’).

Participants spent two weeks in UKPN’s offices where they developed soft skills in communication and interaction with colleagues, at the same time growing to understand how the UKPN operates.

The second half of the programme saw them go out with trained engineers to see first-hand how the power network is maintained.

UK Power Networks aimed to provide interns with employability skills that can be transferred into a variety of industry sectors.  The enterprise has judged  ‘Power Among Us’ first cohort to be a success, with every intern displaying skill and determination to learn about the industry.

The regional netco, a Top 50 Inclusive Employer, has made been at pains to give opportunities to youngsters who have traditionally not considered or had difficulty in accessing careers in electrical engineering. It plans to expand the initiative to the South East and East, after the programme’s success.

UKPN’s outreach and development specialist Natasha Paramasamy was among the initiative’s leaders. “The progress and growing maturity observed in our interns are commendable, “ she noted.

“They have dedicated themselves wholeheartedly, embracing an open mindset throughout the programme. The presentations they delivered at its end reflect the positive influence it has had on their personal and professional development.”

UKPN’s director of network operations Patrick Clarke began his career as an apprentice. He added:

“I think the industry has got some way to go. It’s still not seen as an attractive industry to some young people, and certainly not to young people from diverse backgrounds.

“To make this change, fishing in many different pools is essential, so when we cast our nets there will be interest from all types of people – because the best candidates come from every part of society”.

Kamron Nicely is one of the chosen five.  “The skills that I’ve developed is learning the difference between an electrician and an electrical engineer”, he said.

“If I wasn’t offered this opportunity, I would be doing voluntary work for an electrician, which is what I was doing before this. I would say this will have a good impact on my life and change my life because hopefully, I can get to a place where I want to be.

‌”It’s going to improve my future”, Kamron added, “by giving me the experience to come across business people, working class people and build networks in the future. I’m ready to start at UK Power Networks right away to be honest. They’re saying May or September, but hopefully it will be May”.

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A pilot programme launched today by partners The Crown Estate, the Department of Work & Pensions and the Offshore Wind Learning platform is designed to spin the wheel for offshore recruiters, by upskilling and empowering the DWP’s work coaches. The advisors can then direct jobseekers to burgeoning new career opportunities in the local offshore wind industry.

Eastern England looks out on around a half of Britain’s existing offshore wind farms. More are due.

The partners’ geographically focused pilot may be followed by national roll-out, ensuring local communities feel the benefits of Britain’s contested transition to more wealth-creating renewables and a greener economy for jobs.

Enduring skills shortages in green trades are a fly in ointment already polluted by decades of hydrocarbon-financed misinformation, science-denying newspapers relying on oilcos’ advertising and poor skills planning.

The Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) last year estimated its members would need to fill 70,000 new jobs this decade. Currently employing 32,000 people, marine turbine chiefs thus seek an average of 10,000 new workers every year to welcome into employment, just to support their pipelines of projects already identified.

Very flat, Norfolk

Coaching employment advisors in ten coastal or near-coastal Jobcentres from Skegness to Beccles and inland, is the partners’ method.

DWP focus groups in November highlighted the challenges wind power employers face, regarding perceptions of how to enter the industry, and career progression in it.

The research showed DWP staff knew about direct roles, such as turbine technicians and constructors. They knew less, said the research , about support roles offered by operators in administration & commercial management, including among suppliers who sell to turbine operators.

The research’s findings highlighted a need to “train the trainers”, working to improve the advisors’ confidence in advocating offshore wind jobs to dole claimants.

For The Crown Estate, sustainability director Judith Everett enthused: “We’re thrilled to launch this pilot raising awareness of the many exciting offshore wind career opportunities in East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

 “Though the UK is a global leader in offshore wind”, Everett went on, “the industry faces challenges in our workforce which must be addressed urgently to ensure the sector remains competitive in the face of international competition. Through the important work carried out by coaches in the Department for Work and Pensions, this initiative will shine a spotlight on the local employment opportunities within the industry.”

Lauren Little at offshore operator Ørsted said: “It’s fantastic to see big players in the industry highlight the need for talent to enter the offshore wind industry.

“This programme is perfectly suited to highlight the variety of roles within our industry– from technicians working on turbines to behind-the-scenes employees in administrative and support roles.”

For the DWP, partnership lead Roger Matthews added: “We are immensely proud to be partnering with The Crown Estate. This programme will equip DWP work coaches with insights and targeted training to drive growth in offshore wind employment, a sector vital to the UK’s efforts to transition to Net Zero.

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The transnational nukes-to-offshore-wind combine positions itself as Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity.

Two years ago it took a minority stake in the 23-year old Clacton, Essex based ASHP-maker. Their partnership boosted CB Heating’s skilled workforce fivefold in its first year, training an extra 370 engineers.  Full ownership is expected to yield still more. The purchase price was not disclosed.

As deployment of air- and ground-sourced extractors of low carbon energy lags woefully behind the government’s target of 600,000 per year by 2028, EdF’s move coincides with D-ESNZ’s recent 50% boost to the household pump subsidy.

It now offers householders £7,500 per home ASHP installation.  Extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme by three years until 2008 is Whitehall’s supporting incentive.

With the Future Homes Standard set to ban installation of gas boilers in new homes after 2024, and a total ban on gas boilers by 2035, both acquiror and acquiree intend today’s consolidation to slash waiting times. EDF wants these to drop by half from their current three to four months.

The deal will also see EdF putting a dedicated team in place to deliver heat pumps to homes.

A major challenge confronting the government’s overarching decarbonisation strategy is a dearth of qualified heat engineers.

According to economic consultancy Nesta, Britain needs 27,000 qualified technicians to meet that target of delivering 600,000 heat pump installations every year by 2028.   At present only 4,500 qualified installers earn a living from heat pumps in the UK,^,compared to more than 150,000 gas safe engineers.

Since August 2022, EdF’s partnership with CB Heating has aided development of the Heat Pump Installers Network (HPIN) Academy, delivering free training nationwide to upskill engineers at every level.

In consequence, heat pump installers under training have risen from 90 experts to 463 now. The Academy has capacity to train 4,000 new heat pump installers every year.

Clayton Browne, managing director of CB Heating, said: “Now we have has the resource to continue to grow our HPIN venture, already the largest network of qualified trained heat pump installers in the UK.

“We plan to train over 1,000 heat pump installers in 2024, meaning a quarter of all estimated heat pump installers in the UK will be a HPIN member.

Philippe Commaret, EdF’s managing director of customers said: “The investment we’re making in the heat pump market is representative of all the work we’re doing to help Britain achieve net zero.

EdF’s rival, Octopus, now Britain’s second-biggest energy supplier by account volume, bought Craigavon -based pump manufacturer RED in April 2022.

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As the Sunak government equivocates over the nation’s green future, approves fossil fuel jobs from the Rosebank oilfield and defends motorists from an imaginary “war”, young people appear from E.on’s research already to be following a vision which the nation’s departing leaders lack.

E.on asked market research firm 3Gem 2023 to quiz 2,000 young adults on their training intentions as they enter Britain’s workforce.

School leavers are questioning the need to go to university, with two in three  – 66% – telling E.on’s researchers the cost of traditional higher education is too high.  Forty-four per cent believe a degree apprenticeship is the best path to starting a green career.

A majority of school leavers – or 60% of 16-18 year olds – want to go straight into employment to get a head start in their career, the researchers found.

The energy supplier’s study is confirmed by official figures. UCAS, the body supervising university & college admissions, found this year that 430,000 students expressed an interest in apprenticeships, a 180% increase since 2021.

Young people are increasingly making the link between their personal environmental credibility and the way they earn their living.  51% told E.on’s researchers they know their personal climate actions will be scrutinised if they work in a green role.   Seven in 10 state they’re look for such employment so they can play their part in taking climate action.

Misconceptions linger, though.  Two in five young adults believe green jobs must take place in outside in nature (40%) or think green jobs don’t pay very well (39%).

German-based E.on released the research as it sought to publicise its own UK apprenticeship schemes.  It currently has almost 200 new learners working on over 50 different schemes in skills covering engineering, project management and supply chain leadership, as well as skills in customer service, accountancy, HR, legal and cyber security.

E.on UK boss Chris Norbury commented: “It’s incredibly positive that young people are actively looking to build a green career and are keen to join organisations that are focused on helping people become more sustainable.

“Industries working towards Net Zero are already creating thousands of exciting new jobs that deliver personal and professional fulfilment for people all over the UK”, Norbury went on.

Degree apprenticeships – where people earn as they learn within an organisation while undertaking a degree which is paid for by their employer – are increasingly appealing to young Brits.

Almost half – 48% – of young people believe a degree apprenticeship is the best path to starting a green career after school, compared to just 29% who think traditional higher education such as university would help them secure a green job.

Careers expert Helen Tupper, author of ‘The Squiggly Career’ and co-founder of the ‘Amazing If’ podcast, added: “There’s no longer a default for what ‘good’ career development looks like. That means younger generations have more freedom to progress their careers in ways that work for them.

“Apprenticeships are a great example of how Millennials and Gen Z are beginning to determine their own development, allowing them to learn quickly and develop their skills in a variety of roles”,  Tupper advised.

With sustainability and climate considerations high on the agenda for younger generations, apprenticeships within organisations that are focused on these areas are helping people to combine their purpose with their progression.”

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By 2028, the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy aims to have instals running at 600,000 a year.  A meagre 35,000 devices were installed in 2020, as Covid lockdowns bit.

New research into installers’ working practices released today by a committee of systems practitioners at the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council finds that Whitehall’s numbers need more steam pressure built up behind them.

From its investigations, the HHIC’s systems group concludes that around 150,000 installation workers – not 50,000 – may be necessary to meet the government’s target.

The implied figure of 100,000 new recruits to be attracted to design and fit heat systems is close to the total of all qualified technicians named on today’s national Gas Safe Register, the researchers point out.

“The industry is at a pivotal point”, declared committee chair Steve Keeton. ”With an ageing workforce and more demand for modernised skills, we must look to new entrants as fundamental to providing the solution”.

Whitehall too must seek new ways of spurring heating engineers to upskill into renewable technologies, Keeton added. Attracting younger people to the industry, and determinedly adding low-carbon technologies to their skills portfolios were the cornerstone of achieving Britain’s emissions goals.

No single silver bullet exists to purge carbon from Britain’s heating systems, the industry body acknowledges.  Hydrogen-ready boilers, – pictured –  favoured as one low carbon solution once gas-only boilers are banned from new homes after 2025, should already be featuring on training programmes, the HHIC believes.

The government’s promotion of hydrogen to heat homes in future is backed by UK manufacturers’ ‘price promise,’ Keeton notes.  In other words, new boilers installed in 1.7 million homes each year could be switched over at no cost to consumers.

“If Britain is to successfully meet our 2050 ambitions, heat networks and hydrogen must be part of the strategy, in tandem with heat pumps,“ the training spokesperson added.

“We must work from the grassroots up in order to create the bedrock of multi-skilled installers to successfully decarbonise the heating economy.”

For more about the research, visit the HHIC Website here.

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