Recommendation 2

Fortunately, there is a lot of scope for smart policy and expenditure to be used to collaborate with the whole energy sector, as well as the education and skills sector, to empower and equip existing workers and new entrants to meet demand created by the Government’s targets for clean energy and the decarbonisation of buildings. Crucially, time appears to remain available for productive change and many of the skills of the existing energy, engineering and construction workforces are highly transferable, alongside the potential for innovative and creative programmes to demonstrate crossover applicable skills from other parts of the economy. The skilled jobs that will be required, offer the promise of long-term, good careers but it is unclear that market forces alone will overcome inertia and bottlenecks. Notwithstanding the role of the private sector in investing in skills, there is a clear role for government intervention and leveraged public expenditure. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)