Renewable jobs training gets £1.2m fund

An organisation designed to tackle the green jobs shortage has been set up by renewable energy trade association, RenewableUK with the help of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, […]

An organisation designed to tackle the green jobs shortage has been set up by renewable energy trade association, RenewableUK with the help of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, who are funded by the Department for Business.

The Renewables Training Network will bridge the skills gap in the renewable industry through an investment of £600,000 from business, which has been matched by the government. RenewableUK expect the wind and marine energy to support 88,300 UK jobs by 2021, up from 10,600 today, if the right policies and financial conditions are in place, and sufficient skilled recruits can be found.

Steve Davies, Chief Executive at the National Skills Academy for Power, said:”Bringing new skills and new people into the renewables industry is essential if we are to meet the exceptional 500% increase in workforce conservatively predicted by the end of the decade.”

The renewable sector says that the shortage of skills is restricting growth in what is potentially a very valuable business for the UK. Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said the new scheme could help UK unemployment: “The renewable energy industry is one of the fastest growing areas of the economy, and this initiative is essential to ensure that growth can continue – and that people from a diverse set of backgrounds can make the most of the enormous job opportunities.”

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