The UK government has launched its first national workforce strategy aimed at supporting the transition to clean energy, projecting the creation of more than 400,000 additional jobs by 2030 across renewable, nuclear and low-carbon industries.
The Clean Energy Jobs Plan, released on Monday, outlines a coordinated approach to address rising demand for skilled workers, with employment in the sector expected to grow from around 430,000 today to 860,000 by the end of the decade. The plan includes new technical training centres, reskilling programmes, and public-private partnerships to support this growth.
“Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs,” Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said in a statement. “The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call — and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen.”
The strategy identifies 31 priority occupations — including welders, electricians and plumbers — and introduces initiatives such as five new Technical Excellence Colleges and a Mission Renewable programme aimed at transitioning military veterans into clean energy roles.
In addition to training, the plan proposes £20 million in funding to support oil and gas workers shifting to offshore wind, nuclear and grid infrastructure roles. Regional pilot schemes, worth £2.5 million, will be tested in Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire to assess local workforce models.
Miliband said the plan supports “a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.”
The government also plans to introduce a Fair Work Charter for clean energy employers and pilot workforce criteria in public contracts to promote good pay and employment conditions.
Industry Response
Industry leaders broadly welcomed the announcement, citing its clarity and alignment with long-term investment plans.
“Thanks to the clear direction set out by the government’s Clean Power 2030 Mission, we’re investing at record levels,” said ScottishPower CEO Keith Anderson. “Our £24 billion investment plan is creating thousands of job opportunities… We’re welcoming 300 new recruits in the last three months of 2025 alone and aim to bring on another 2,000 jobs up to 2027.”
EDF Power Solutions UK CEO Matthieu Hue also supported the plan, noting its potential to accelerate job creation. “We welcome the plan which brings clarity on the scale of the opportunity for people across the UK to work in high quality jobs,” Hue said.
Siemens Energy UK&I Vice President Darren Davidson said the announcement builds on the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. “We have taken on 140 new apprentices this autumn and we currently have more than 200 active vacancies,” he said.
RenewableUK Deputy CEO Jane Cooper called the plan “a long-awaited” framework that aligns government and industry efforts. “It includes practical measures… such as opening new Technical Excellence Colleges, building on Britain’s current success as a global leader in clean power,” she said.
Scotland’s Contribution
Claire Mack, CEO of Scottish Renewables, highlighted the importance of regional engagement. “Scotland is home to world-class energy skills expertise,” she said. “The scale and importance of the energy transition requires new approaches to ensure investments in skills serve the needs of the entire economy.”
The government estimates that entry-level roles in clean energy pay around 23% more than equivalent positions in other sectors. Average salaries across wind, nuclear and electricity grid roles currently exceed £50,000, compared with the national average of £37,000.
Since July 2024, the UK’s clean energy mission has attracted more than £50 billion in private investment, supporting major projects such as the Sizewell C nuclear plant, Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactors, and carbon capture schemes in Scotland and the North East.
