UK needs new skills to meet EU energy targets

New skills and training are needed in the building sector if the UK is to meet the EU’s energy targets by 2020, a new study suggests. The ‘Analysis of the […]

New skills and training are needed in the building sector if the UK is to meet the EU’s energy targets by 2020, a new study suggests.

The ‘Analysis of the National Status Quo’ report suggests firms are not fully prepared for the impact of the green agenda. It claims more than 161,000 skilled workers will be needed in the construction industry. The EU has called for a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.

Mark Farrar, CEO of CITB-ConstructionSkills, one of four firms which produced the report said: “As the UK makes the transition towards becoming a low carbon economy, the need to invest in skills for the built environment sector becomes more and more pressing.”

The report also suggests firms don’t have enough “confidence” about green areas such as energy efficiency.

Sarah Bentley, CEO of Asset Skills said: “There is a clear lack of knowledge and confidence among employers about the green agenda and how it will affect their workforce. Industry and consumers need to be made more aware, while new specialist training needs to be developed in different areas of energy efficiency.”

The research was carried out for the Build Up Skills project, which is an alliance of four sector skills councils –  Asset Skills, SummitSkills, CITB-ConstructionSkills and Energy & Utility Skills. The project will help ensure the UK workforce has the necessary skills to meet its carbon targets.

Latest Podcast