The UK government has unveiled plans to create a generation of clean energy jobs in Wales as part of its mission to become a global clean energy superpower. The initiative aims to deliver over 15,000 additional clean energy jobs in Wales by 2030, focusing on high-demand occupations such as electricians, plumbers, welders, engineers, and metal workers. Backed by record government and private sector investment in renewables and nuclear, the plan seeks to ensure that these roles are well-paid, high-quality, and accessible to local communities.
As part of the national strategy, the UK government will publish its first-ever comprehensive plan to train the next generation of clean energy workers, anticipating employment in the sector to double to 860,000 by 2030. Wales is set to benefit from up to 20,000 clean energy jobs, with key employers in carbon capture and offshore wind. Skills pilot programs in Pembrokeshire, Cheshire, and Lincolnshire, supported by £2.5 million in government funding, will establish new training centres, courses, and career advisory services to help young people access these opportunities.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the role of trade unions in ensuring fair pay and conditions, noting a decline in coverage in the energy sector over recent decades. The plan includes measures requiring companies receiving public grants or contracts to deliver high-quality jobs and promote fair workplace practices. Welsh leaders highlighted the potential of clean energy projects to drive regional growth, provide high-paying, skilled work, and support energy security while embedding the industries of the future in local communities.
The clean energy mission has already stimulated over £50 billion in private investment since July 2024. Key projects include the Hynet CCUS project, creating 2,800 direct jobs in North Wales, Cheshire, and Flintshire, and the Mona Offshore Wind Farm, providing 3,500 jobs over its lifetime. Entry-level roles in clean energy pay on average 23% more than equivalent positions in other sectors, with average salaries in wind, nuclear, and electricity networks exceeding £50,000.
The government has also introduced initiatives to harness the skills of veterans, ex-offenders, school leavers, and the unemployed, matching them to clean energy careers, and providing bespoke training for oil and gas workers transitioning to renewables. Five new Technical Excellence Colleges will train young people for essential roles, while the “energy skills passport” helps workers move from oil and gas to offshore wind, nuclear, and electricity grid positions.
To secure world-class pay and conditions, the plan includes extending employment protections for offshore oil and gas workers to the clean energy sector, introducing a Fair Work Charter for offshore wind developers, and embedding workforce criteria in grants and procurement processes. These measures complement broader education reforms, aiming for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning by age 25, ensuring that Wales and the UK can fully capitalize on the clean energy revolution.
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