Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
9
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero should have demonstrated its firm grasp of the skills landscape by having published a workforce strategy much sooner. (Conclusion, Paragraph 52)
Government response. The government agrees and states Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs will continue to work with industry, and the government will consider how competence is defined for PAS retrofit roles to develop clearer competence frameworks.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
12
Conclusion
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
National workforce planning will need to be delivered beyond Whitehall and devolved levels of government have a crucial role to play. National plans need to recognise that delivery of the workforce may diverge according to local circumstance and need while providing both a consistent quality in career pathways, standards and …
Government response. The government agrees that national workforce planning needs to involve devolved governments and recognize local circumstances while ensuring consistent quality and portability of skills, highlighting existing collaboration but not committing to new action.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
13
Conclusion
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
Training needs to meet the needs of employers, current and future workers. There also needs to be more certainty around the longevity of government policies. That will give confidence both to employers investing in training and to workers considering entering the workforce, upskilling and retraining. (Conclusion, Paragraph 72)
Government response. Skills England is working towards becoming the single, authoritative voice on current and future skills needs, workforce modelling is built on clean energy technologies deployment, and clean energy public investment plans are set out through the Clean Energy Industries Sector …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
14
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s attention to leveraging the significant potential of various levels of devolved government across different parts of the UK. They should be empowered to lead on approaches tailored to local or regional strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, the Government must provide the Office for Clean Energy Jobs and …
Government response. The government agrees with empowering devolved governments and ensuring consistency in training, highlighting existing collaboration through the Clean Energy Jobs Plan and initiatives like Regional Skills Pilots but makes no specific commitments.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
15
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
Now that the Spending Review has been published, the Government needs to accelerate its adoption of policies relevant to clean energy and retrofit skills. These policies need long timescales to be most effective. The Government should have a ten-year horizon for initiatives and funding which should be revised, and extended, …
Government response. The government agrees with the need for long-term policy certainty, highlights work by Skills England, and references existing plans like the Clean Energy Industries Sector plan without committing to any new specific initiatives or timelines beyond existing plans.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
17
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
We further recommend that Government expand and formalise ‘try-before- you-buy’ training opportunities to improve conversion rates from training into employment. Evidence received indicates that up to 70% of individuals starting construction-related FE qualifications do not complete or do not enter the sector, with FE students often lacking structured opportunities to …
Government response. The Department is working across government and with industry through the Construction Skills Mission Board to develop and deliver a skills action plan, provide funding for heat pump training, and launched the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
18
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
Given the scale of workforce demand in construction and retrofit, including the need for an estimated additional 250,000 workers to meet new housing targets and millions more for retrofit we recommend that Government work with CITB, Skills England, and industry to establish a nationally recognised, industry backed construction and retrofit …
Government response. The Department is working across government and with industry through the Construction Skills Mission Board to develop and deliver a skills action plan, provide funding for heat pump training, and launched the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
26
Recommendation
6th Report - Workforce planning to deli…
Acknowledged
We emphasise that workforce expansion in retrofit and clean heat must go hand-in-hand with high and verifiable standards of competence. Written evidence criticised aspects of the existing skills and competence system in retrofit and related sectors, calling for tighter and more rigorous training standards, improved accreditation and the raising of …
Government response. The government is reviewing the system of standards, oversight, and protections for energy efficiency and microgeneration installations, and will consult on options to simplify the system for consumers and installers, and will consider how the definition of competence for PAS …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero