LONDON (Reuters) -Britain announced a national plan on Sunday to train and recruit hundreds of thousands of workers for industrial jobs amid growing demand in the clean energy sector.
The government said that recent public and private investment in clean energy, such as renewables and nuclear, was driving a surge in demand for industrial workers, with plumbers, electricians, and welders especially sought after.
Under the new plans, five new colleges will train young people for clean energy careers, while a national programme will help connect workers with jobs in solar installation, wind turbine manufacturing, and nuclear power.
In addition, work schemes will support ex-offenders, school leavers, and the unemployed, alongside efforts to upskill existing workers, such as helping those in oil and gas transition into roles in offshore wind, nuclear energy, and the electricity grid.
“Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs,” energy secretary Ed Miliband said. “The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call.”
The government is aiming to double jobs in the sector to 860,000 by 2030.
The plan proposes ensuring companies receiving public funding offer fair pay and strong workplace protections across the clean energy sector.
Britain hopes to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030, as part of a broader effort to meet climate targets, strengthen energy security, and lower power costs by reducing dependence on costly fossil fuels.
It previously announced a goal to more than double current investment in clean energy industries, aiming to exceed 30 billion pounds ($40.30 billion) annually by 2035.
($1 = 0.7445 pounds)
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Sarah Young)
