· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Financial Times or enjoy below
🗞️ Driving the news: Companies and educational organizations throughout the UK and Europe are intensifying training initiatives to address the growing green skills gap
• As demand for renewable energy workers skyrockets, these programs aim to equip workers with the skills needed for installing and maintaining renewable energy sources
🔭 The context: Europe's push for a greener future is seeing a surge in the need for skilled professionals who can support this transition
• Specific areas facing immediate shortages include heat pump and solar panel installation, electric vehicle charging installation, and building upgrades to meet green standards.
🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: Meeting renewable energy targets requires a robust workforce that can drive the sustainable transition
• According to SolarPower Europe, over 1 million solar workers are needed in Europe in the next seven years to achieve the 2030 renewable energy goals
⏭️ What's next: Many green jobs require only in-house training or technical academy programs, unlike roles in nuclear power
• Companies like Octopus and Statkraft lead these training initiatives, supported by UK government schemes catering to a broad demographic, from school leavers to older re-entrants
💬 One quote: “Most of [those] who we employ right now are people who have some experience in gas or heating and are thinking about whether there will be a career installing gas boilers in five or 10 years from now” (John Szymik, Octopus energy services chief executive)
📈 One stat: PwC projects that up to 66,000 new workers, including heating engineers, insulation experts, and glaziers, will need to join the UK workforce annually in the foreseeable future
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