A shortage of qualified electricians has been a factor that has hampered the construction industry for years now — if recent research and new government building targets are anything to go by, this high demand looks set to continue.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the construction sector had grown at its fastest rate in two years. This was a welcome development following months of uncertainty driven by several factors including rising material and energy costs and an ageing workforce.
Adding to this, the new Labour government’s manifesto revealed ambitious plans that included the building of 1.5 million new homes, and the creation of 650,000 new jobs in the green energy sector. Both of these announcements could present attractive long-term opportunities for those working within the electrical industry.
Could electricians plug the green energy skills gap?
In spring, a report commissioned by OVO with Energy and Utility Skills highlighted major gaps in the construction workforce when it came to green energy skills and knowledge.
According to the research, it was predicted that an additional 362,000 workers would be needed for the UK to decarbonise homes and hit net zero targets by 2035.
Now, with Labour promising significant investment into developing clean energy, including setting aside £6.6bn to upgrade five million homes across the UK, those with the relevant electrical skills could play a vital role in enabling this transition, particularly when it comes to specialist areas like solar power and heat pumps.
Electrical bosses still faced with electrical skilled labour shortages
The most recent quarterly survey of the UK engineering services sector again found that electrical skills shortages continued as a leading issue for construction bosses.
The research is supported by leading trade bodies including the Electrical Contractor’s Association (ECA), Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), The Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) and SELECT, the trade association for the electrical contracting industry in Scotland,
48% of the survey’s respondents (via Electrical Times) said they currently had vacancies in their organisations, with 50% saying they struggled to fill these roles due to an insufficient supply of applicants.
Along with the new house building and green energy targets, Labour did acknowledge the industry’s concerns when it came to skills shortages. In response, the manifesto also pledges to focus on upskilling workers here in the UK. Again, this should come as encouraging news to those already working in, or considering a career in electrical.
The combination of persistent electrical skills shortages, an imminent increase in construction output and the government’s promise of investment in green energy roles suggest a positive immediate and long-term future for the electrical industry.
While those already working in the industry may require some element of upskilling to tap into the growing demand for green energy, much of their established skill set will transfer directly over to these new technologies. For those thinking of taking their first steps into the industry, now could be the ideal time to do so as the construction sector prepares for what looks to be an extremely busy period.