A major new regional strategy has been launched to help ensure communities across the North West and North Wales benefit from the UK's rapidly expanding clean energy sector, with forecasts showing tens of thousands of new jobs will be needed over the coming decade.
The newly published Clean Energy Skills Regional Action Plan and accompanying North West Clean Energy Jobs Evidence Base Final Report outline a coordinated approach between industry, education providers and local authorities to develop the workforce required to deliver the UK's net zero ambitions.
The research highlights the scale of the opportunity facing the region. Demand for clean energy workers is expected to grow significantly as investment accelerates across key sectors including nuclear power, offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, electricity networks and large-scale home retrofit programmes.
According to the evidence, the North West and North Wales clean energy workforce is projected to increase from approximately 19,500 workers today to more than 30,000 by 2030, with demand peaking at almost 35,000 jobs in 2028.
When home retrofit and low-carbon heating roles are included, total workforce demand could surpass 105,000 workers by 2035. The report also identifies a requirement for at least 16,000 additional workers within the next four to five years.
Employers are expected to face growing demand for skilled professionals including electricians, engineers, heat pump installers, construction specialists, technicians, project managers, welders and pipefitters. Many of these occupations will also support growth across wider sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure and advanced engineering.
The strategy aligns closely with major developments planned across the region, including the HyNet industrial decarbonisation cluster, offshore wind projects in the Irish Sea, the proposed Mersey Tidal Power Project, electricity network upgrades, new nuclear developments and large-scale home energy efficiency programmes.
Liverpool City Region leaders believe the region is uniquely placed to capitalise on these opportunities.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Energy and Environment, Cllr Angela Ball, said:
“We want the Liverpool City Region to be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution, leading the charge towards net zero, and taking advantage of the myriad of jobs, investment and opportunities that it will provide.”
“From our existing strengths in wind and solar power, to transformative projects like HyNet and our Mersey Tidal Power scheme, our region has the potential to be Britain’s Renewable Energy Coast – with local people benefiting from the employment and training opportunities that go with it.
“This action plan shows that the transition to green energy isn’t just necessary to tackle the climate emergency but will also generate tens of thousands of high-quality jobs for local people, right across our region.”
The reports were commissioned by Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington in partnership with Net Zero North West and the North West Net Zero Hub, with funding provided through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's Office for Clean Energy Jobs.
The initiative brought together employers, colleges, universities, training providers, industry organisations and local authorities from Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and North Wales.
Recognising that labour markets and supply chains operate across regional boundaries, the plan establishes a shared approach to workforce development. The objective is to ensure that future clean energy investment translates into long-term employment opportunities for local communities.
The action plan recommends several practical measures to address anticipated workforce challenges. These include:
- New pre-apprenticeship programmes
- Targeted support for people returning to work
- Stronger collaboration between employers and training providers
- Enhanced careers advice and industry engagement initiatives
- Increased investment in retraining and upskilling
While the research found the region already has significant strengths in engineering, manufacturing, construction and industrial innovation, it concludes that coordinated action will be essential to ensure employers can access the skilled workforce needed to deliver future projects.
Importantly, the report notes that many of the skills required for the clean energy transition already exist within the current workforce. However, substantial investment in retraining, upskilling and attracting new talent will be needed if the North West is to maximise the economic benefits of becoming a leading clean energy hub.
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