Britain now has its first national workforce plan for clean energy. Published on 19 October 2025, the Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out how to recruit, train and retain the people needed for the government’s clean power mission. Ministers expect total employment across the sector to rise to around 860,000 by 2030 - roughly 400,000 more roles than today - with 31 priority occupations flagged from plumbers and electricians to welders. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has positioned the plan as pro‑worker and pro‑union, with job quality built into delivery.

Pay is a clear pull factor. Advertised salaries in wind, nuclear and electricity networks typically sit above £50,000, compared with a UK average near £37,000, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s 2024 assessment. Entry‑level roles in most clean‑energy occupations pay about 23% more than equivalent roles in other sectors. Crucially, demand spreads beyond London, with roles concentrated across coastal and post‑industrial communities.

Training capacity is set to expand. Five new Technical Excellence Colleges will focus on the trades and engineering skills the plan prioritises, alongside skills pilots in Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire backed by £2.5 million. A partnership with Mission Renewable will match veterans to roles across solar, wind manufacturing and nuclear. Tailored schemes are planned for school leavers, ex‑offenders and people currently out of work - acknowledging that thousands already hold relevant experience. The plan also sits alongside a national target for two‑thirds of young people to be in higher‑level learning by age 25.

Reskilling experienced workers is central to keeping projects on schedule. Oil and gas staff will have access to up to £20 million of joint UK‑Scottish funding for bespoke training, building on the Aberdeen pilot. The Energy Skills Passport - used to translate North Sea qualifications to offshore wind - will extend into adjacent areas including the electricity grid and, in Scotland, nuclear decommissioning. The goal is to reduce friction and cost when moving skilled technicians into growth roles.

Job quality is woven into procurement. Government intends to close legal loopholes so clean‑energy workers offshore receive employment protections - including the National Minimum Wage - beyond UK territorial waters. A new Fair Work Charter between offshore wind developers and trade unions is being developed, and DESNZ will trial workforce criteria in grants and contracts via Great British Energy and the Clean Industry Bonus. With union coverage in energy down from over 70% in the mid‑1990s to roughly 30% today, ministers are signalling that organised labour will have a seat at the table.

Capital is already lining up against the workforce plan. Since July 2024, officials count more than £50 billion of private commitments into clean power. Examples include Iberdrola doubling ScottishPower’s UK investment programme to £24 billion for 2024‑28, Ofgem approval of National Grid’s £4.3 billion Eastern Green Link 2, commercial terms for carbon‑capture clusters expected to mobilise around £8 billion, and £1.65 billion channelled into social‑housing retrofits with support from the National Wealth Fund. Centrica has also announced a £35 million Training Academy in Lutterworth to scale delivery skills.

The regional picture is material for local businesses. The East of England - anchored by Sizewell C - and Scotland are each projected to support up to 60,000 clean‑energy jobs by 2030. The North West could reach 55,000 on the back of HyNet, with Yorkshire and the Humber up to 35,000 linked to the Viking cluster. That means orders for local civils, fabrication, grid connections and long‑term operations and maintenance - provided firms meet domestic procurement and workforce criteria.

Demand by occupation is specific enough for workforce planning. Electricians and electrical fitters, plumbing and heating engineers, and carpenters are all set to rise by several thousand roles and more than double on 2023 levels. Engineering professionals, project managers and technicians also see significant growth, while demand for welders and metalworking operatives is forecast to more than triple in some cases. Most trades require A‑level‑equivalent qualifications or apprenticeships, while engineers typically need higher education.

For hiring managers, the commercial read‑across is straightforward. Begin mapping upcoming bids to the new workforce tests, cost tenders using realistic wage benchmarks, ring‑fence apprentice intake, and engage with recognised unions early - particularly offshore. Companies able to evidence training pipelines and stable terms will be better placed to access DESNZ funding streams and Great British Energy contracts.

Workers and students have practical routes in. North Sea technicians can use the Energy Skills Passport to move into offshore wind and grid roles without restarting their careers. School leavers will see clearer pathways through the Technical Excellence Colleges into trades that carry above‑market pay. Veterans gain tailored matching into solar, wind and nuclear with defined progression.

Delivery risks remain and need attention. Colleges require specialist staff as well as capital, and manufacturers argue apprenticeship funding should match the real cost of training. Grid connection queues and planning timelines can still slow starts. Some Scottish schemes depend on future budgets from 2026‑27 onwards, so pipeline visibility will be essential to sustain employer investment in people.

Our view at Market Pulse UK: this is a standards‑led approach as much as a spending plan. If procurement genuinely rewards firms offering fair pay, recognised bargaining and skills investment, it will tilt the market toward higher‑skill operators and steady delivery. For investors and SMEs, the opportunities are real - but so are the requirements. Build the workforce plan, then bid.