Energy transition accelerates, workforce lags behind: 22,000 apprentices missing

400,000 clean energy jobs. A new Growth and Skills Levy. Here's the question: are we joining the dots? The UK Government's Clean Energy Jobs Plan (19 October) commits to skilling up hundreds of thousands of workers for the net-zero transition. At the same time, the Apprenticeship Levy is becoming the Growth and Skills Levy - with the intention to fund more flexible training and upskilling. This should be the perfect alignment. But right now, most levy spending is still locked into traditional apprenticeship models that take months (or years) to complete. The energy sector can't wait that long. Workers on infrastructure sites need: → Rapid upskilling in emerging clean tech → Just-in-time safety and compliance training → Micro-learning that fits into high-pressure, site-based work → Real-time competence tracking that proves capability This is exactly the kind of flexible, varied training the new levy is meant to support. Skills England now has a huge opportunity: to show that levy funds can power adaptive, AI-driven learning that meets workers where they are, delivers results faster, and scales across sectors. If we're serious about reaching net zero, we need to match the ambition of our infrastructure plans with equally ambitious thinking about how people actually learn on the job. To employers and policymakers: how do you think the Growth and Skills Levy should be used to close the clean energy skills gap? #GrowthAndSkillsLevy #NetZero #SkillsEngland #CleanEnergy #WorkforceDevelopment

🌍 Building the Skills for a Sustainable Future – and Leading by Example in Stoke-on-Trent Toby Perkins MP is absolutely right: the UK’s ambitions for economic growth and environmental sustainability will stand or fall on skills. As he highlights, vocational education must be at the heart of Britain’s green transition – and that’s a challenge Further Education is ready to meet. At Stoke on Trent College, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why our new Advanced Green Technologies project at the Burslem Campus is such an exciting step forward. This initiative is more than just an investment in new facilities – it’s a commitment to equipping our learners and local employers with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a low-carbon economy. From sustainable construction and renewable energy systems to emerging green technologies, the project will create a hub for innovation, collaboration, and real-world learning. 💡 As Toby Perkins rightly says, this isn’t about a “green skills silo.” It’s about embedding sustainability across disciplines – recognising that every trade, every technician, every engineer has a vital role to play in building a greener future. By working closely with local employers, investing in modern learning environments, and inspiring our students to see vocational routes as pathways to meaningful, future-proof careers, we’re helping to turn national ambition into local action. We’re proud to be part of a movement that places Further Education at the forefront of the UK’s green growth agenda – and even prouder to see our learners driving the change. ♻️ The future is green. The future is skilled. And it’s being built right here in Stoke-on-Trent. #GreenSkills #Sustainability #FurtherEducation #StokeOnTrentCollege #AdvancedGreenTechnologies #SkillsForTheFuture #VocationalEducation #FE #NetZero

The skills-first economy is an emerging paradigm where economic growth and workforce strategies anchored on skills mastery over formal qualifications. It has reshaped recruitment practices to hire on what individuals can do rather than what degrees they hold. The rise of a skills-first economy has profound implications for higher education, especially in curriculum design, credentialing, assessment and graduate employability. HEIs must shift from emphasizing knowledge to future-ready skills, co-create skills-based curriculum with stakeholders, integrating microcredentials, badges, skill certification and authentic performance or skills-based assessment as employers seek out graduates who demonstrate job-ready skills rather than academic knowledge. The Skills-First Ecosystem Framework is conceptualized to facilitate HEIs to implement skills-first ecosystem with the support from their national agencies.

22,000 apprentices missing, and a forecast 42,000-worker shortfall by 2035.   The energy sector is already feeling the bite of talent shortages. Our energy snapshot breaks it down further. Download it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e98J9se6

"Clean power is a defining opportunity to grow the economy, strengthen energy security, and create skilled jobs that support communities nationwide.” As our CEO Chris Norbury said - that opportunity is already taking shape. We welcome the Government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan shining a spotlight on what matters most — people. Because behind every solar panel installed, every heat pump fitted and every smart meter switched on, are the skilled colleagues powering change. At E.ON, we’re already making that future a reality — training around 800 people each year through E.ON Next’s Net Zero Training Academy and wider skills initiatives and supporting over 1,300 apprentices across more than 100 programmes since 2018. And the next generation is ready to join us. Our research shows almost half of school leavers want a green job — a clear sign that the next generation is ready to power the clean energy transition. Through degree apprenticeships, hands-on training in green technologies and our partnerships with schools, colleges and local communities, we’re ensuring those ambitions become reality. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/e45h8yfc Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Higher education enables students to develop durable skills. Employers need durable skills, but they are often not satisfied with how new graduates demonstrate these skills. Yesterday I shared why a corporate leader values durable skills. This post highlights the connection between degrees and durable skills. Here is Charles Welch, CEO of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, on the importance of degrees and durable skills: “Was my major a direct road to the presidency? No—political science didn’t come with a guarantee. But it delivered durable skills: critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. Those skills let me navigate ups and downs in the workforce, take risks, and grow.” We often focus on the academic discipline of a degree. While this can be important, especially for degrees with a strong connection to a job, the durable skills gained are often more important. This is something that both higher education and employers must recognize. Higher education should ensure that relevant durable skills are identified, developed, and assessed. It is also essential that students know that they are developing them and can articulate this to employers. Employers must be willing to understand how students develop in degree programs and provide deliberate developmental opportunities that build on this foundation. As I noted yesterday, development of durable skills is a joint responsibility that requires shared definitions of these skills and how to demonstrate them in different contexts. It will also require more opportunities for students to employ them in work-relevant contexts. Higher education and employers must begin treating durable skill development as a joint mission. #HigherEducation #DurableSkills #FutureOfWork #FutureOfEmployability https://lnkd.in/ejpfJ-hh

The Trade Boom℠ — Reframing Education, Equity, and the Future of Work The future of learning isn’t either-or. It’s both-and. Higher education remains one of the most powerful tools for research, innovation, and leadership, but it’s not the only path to success. For many, vocation is the door that opens first. And today, that door leads to a national movement: The Trade Boom℠. As workforce shortages continue across construction, inspection, energy, and infrastructure, the conversation about opportunity is shifting. The U.S. will need over 439,000 new construction workers in 2025 alone. Trade and apprenticeship enrollments are growing faster than traditional college, and even institutions like Harvard are beginning to explore technical education models as part of a national workforce response. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts are also evolving. The next chapter of DEI isn’t about statements—it’s about systems. It’s about creating real pathways to access, ownership, and opportunity. The future of inclusion will be measured by participation: who has credentials, who has capital, and who has the power to build within the industries that sustain our economy. That’s where the trades stand tall. The trades are hands-on, high-demand, and high-value. They offer tangible opportunities for people who may not see themselves represented in traditional corporate environments but who are essential to building the foundations beneath them. The Trade Boom℠ is not anti-college. It’s pro-options. It celebrates the student who earns a degree and the professional who earns a license. It values both the thinker and the builder. It represents an economy that honors skill, integrity, and purpose—where learning and doing work together to create dignity, income, and influence. If you are an educator, workforce strategist, or industry leader, this is the time to connect the dots between learning and doing, between access and advancement, between DEI and measurable impact. The future of work is being rebuilt right now—and those who know how to build will lead it. #TheTradeBoom #FutureOfWork #VocationalLeadership #EducationInnovation #WorkforceDevelopment #SkillsFirst #TrainingAndDevelopment

The explosive growth of the global market for online degrees reflects a seismic shift in education — a move toward flexible, focused, and career-oriented learning opportunities. In the spotlight are micro-credentials and short courses, which play a starring role in reshaping upskilling and reskilling in a rapidly shifting job market. To stay competitive, organizations need to adapt fast. More about micro-credentials: https://lnkd.in/gbiJ6QZf

Over the past few months Daikin UK has partnered with Generation C in collaboration with the GMCA to launch our ‘Skills for a Sustainable Future’ Programme. What better time than Green Careers Week than showcase our video from the launch days at two fantastic schools in Greater Manchester. From initial planning with the fantastic team at Generation C Impact to the energy and excitement of our launch days at ST Ambrose Barlow R C High School and Butterstile Primary School, this video captures the spirit of our collaboration and the impact we want to make. Supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, this initiative is all about creating tangible connections between our technology and the students who will become tomorrow’s climate innovators. Watch the video to see for yourself how we are connecting the classroom to careers for a sustainable future. #GreenCareersWeek #DaikinUK #Sustainability #SocialImpact #GreenSkills #GreaterManchester #ClassroomToCareer  

A global outlook, with UK impact. 🌍 One of our SMFs Nic Renard attended Climate Week activities in New York as part of his work at decarbonisation infrastructure company Ardent. It gave him the opportunity to meet clients and organisations interested and involved in carbon capture as well as a chance to meet some of his US-based MBA alumni from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania – one of the 19 world-leading business schools that our scholarship can be used at. As Nic says: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘉𝘈 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨; 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴.” 📚 Read more about Nic’s journey on our website:  https://lnkd.in/e22c8eAS ------------------------------ Our MBA scholarships open doors to an unparalleled network of business-minded people across the planet. Not only will candidates get the chance to build their own tribe within their business school cohorts from the world’s leading educational institutions, they’ll also have access to one of the UK’s lading selection of business minds in our Sainsbury Management Fellows community. 🔗 Find out more about our scholarships on the ESBF website. #Engineering #Science #BusinessEducation