ECA – Electrical & Plumbing Skills

All ECA Articles

ECA

3rd June 2026

Deadline extended: Enter the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

Deadline extended to Friday 3 July! Entries are now open for ECA Member businesses to put forward their standout apprentices, or for the apprentices themselves to enter, for the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award. In ECA’s 125th anniversary year, and in partnership with Edmundson Electrical, the award recognises exceptional apprentices from ECA Member […]

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ECA

21st May 2026

ECA urges Skills England to back low-carbon skills with training that protects safety and competence

ECA has welcomed Skills England’s ambition to strengthen the UK’s workforce for the low-carbon transition, including in areas such as EV charge points and solar PV. However, it is warning that fast-tracked apprenticeship units must not come at the expense of electrical safety, competence and industry-recognised standards. Keith Sanderson, Head of Education and Skills at ECA, […]

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ECA

6th May 2026

Apprenticeships pay back: ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce

Industry contributors say high quality apprenticeships deliver measurable business returns – boosting productivity, retention and capacity for SMEs across the supply chain. Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Joint Industry Board (JIB) and independent training provider JTL are urging employers across construction, engineering and building services to treat apprenticeships as a strategic investment, not a cost, […]

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ECA

5th May 2026

ECA backs FE Week warning: ‘green skills’ must mean qualified, competent and safe

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has praised FE Week for highlighting a growing risk: ‘green skills’ courses that don’t align with industry occupational and training standards – and therefore don’t develop or validate real competence. With electrification accelerating across homes and workplaces, competence is non‑negotiable. When training bypasses industry-endorsed standards, the consequences can be unsafe work, poor-quality, […]

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ECA

17th April 2026

2026 entries now open for the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

Entries are now open for ECA Member businesses to put forward their standout apprentices, or for the apprentices themselves to enter, for the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award. In ECA’s 125th anniversary year, and in partnership with Edmundson Electrical, the award recognises exceptional apprentices from ECA Member businesses across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. […]

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ECA

19th March 2026

Greater Manchester Alliance launches major drive to power up the region’s electrical workforce

A bold new campaign to accelerate skills growth in Greater Manchester’s electrical sector has been launched by an alliance led by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). Designed to supercharge upskilling across the region, the initiative opens new pathways for both businesses and workers looking to advance in a rapidly evolving industry. The Greater Manchester Electrotechnical […]

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ECA

12th March 2026

Thames Valley educators and electrical businesses unite to address regional skills challenges

A new Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliance (ETCA) was launched this week (10 March 2026) in the Thames Valley, bringing together electrotechnical businesses and education providers to identify solutions for enhancing skills delivery across the region. The newly formed ETCA unites local employers and education partners to develop practical responses to skills challenges specific to the region’s […]

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ECA

15th February 2026

Electrical training alliance launches in South Yorkshire

Key educational institutions and electrotechnical businesses came together on 12 February for the inaugural meeting of a new alliance formed to tackle the growing electrical skills shortage in South Yorkshire. The group represents the second Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliance (ETCA) launched during National Apprenticeship Week 2026 and the seventh established since the initiative began […]

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ECA

9th February 2026

North East alliance seeks to drive positive change in regional electrical skills

An alliance of electrical businesses, training providers and the local authority within the North East of England met for the first time this week to address electrical skills challenges facing the region. This collaboration marks the launch of an Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliance (ETCA), which is an initiative led by ECA. An ETCA aims to bring […]

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ECA

8th February 2026

Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand

The UK’s electrical skills gap is widening across the country, at the very moment demand for skilled electricians is accelerating, according to new analysis published by the ECA, putting Government ambitions and targets at risk. ECA’s 2026 Electrical Skills Index – which compares the number of people starting Government-funded classroom-based electrical courses with those entering apprenticeships – […]

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ECA

13th January 2026

ECA urges next Welsh Government to address dramatic fall in electrical apprentices

ECA is urging the next Welsh Government to address the steep decline in electricians and apprentices working in Wales. The number has fallen from 13,400 in 2015, to only 7,600 today, according to ECA’s 2026 Wales Manifesto published today. ECA’s Skills Charter states that Wales needs a minimum of 700 new electrical apprentices every year to […]

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ECA

22nd December 2025

ECA welcomes DESNZ clean workforce report

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has warmly welcomed the report from the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, Workforce planning to deliver clean secure energy. The report clearly reflects the case ECA has been making on the need for a stronger, more coherent approach to clean energy skills – the Government cannot achieve a safe energy […]

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ECA

22nd December 2025

JIB responds to CSJ Skills to Build report with call to prioritise direct employment and competence

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report, Skills to Build: Fixing Britain’s construction workforce crisis, was published in November 2025, setting out 26 recommendations – across government departments, education and industry. The central message, that construction cannot meet housing and infrastructure demand without rebuilding a domestic skills pipeline, has been a long-held concern of the Joint Industry […]

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News

Martindale’s ‘safe isolation procedure checklist’ for safer working

Energy Minister visits refurbished Daikin Manchester facility to witness green upskilling boom

Earthing and bonding: what’s the difference?

Research reveals strong satisfaction among heat pump trainees

Electrical

Martindale’s ‘safe isolation procedure checklist’ for safer working

Earthing and bonding: what’s the difference?

Deadline extended: Enter the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

Skills Minister opens JTL’s £1m Thames Valley Training Centre to boost electrical and low-carbon skills

Plumbing & Heating

Energy Minister visits refurbished Daikin Manchester facility to witness green upskilling boom

Research reveals strong satisfaction among heat pump trainees

Skills Minister opens JTL’s £1m Thames Valley Training Centre to boost electrical and low-carbon skills

Celebrating JTL’s Regional Award Winners 2026

Features

The possible bottleneck in the electrotechnical qualifications sector

What the future plumbing & heating education landscape means for providers

Celebrating the UK’s first female-run electrical training centre on International Women’s Day

Creating a safety net: how an apprentice recovered from financial fallout

Learning Zone

Earthing and bonding: what’s the difference?

Safe isolation: what you need to know

Understanding the Building Regulations

Calculating the expected resistance of a circuit

All ECA Articles

Deadline extended: Enter the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

ECA urges Skills England to back low-carbon skills with training that protects safety and competence

Apprenticeships pay back: ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce

ECA backs FE Week warning: ‘green skills’ must mean qualified, competent and safe

2026 entries now open for the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

Greater Manchester Alliance launches major drive to power up the region’s electrical workforce

Thames Valley educators and electrical businesses unite to address regional skills challenges

Electrical training alliance launches in South Yorkshire

North East alliance seeks to drive positive change in regional electrical skills

Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand

ECA urges next Welsh Government to address dramatic fall in electrical apprentices

ECA welcomes DESNZ clean workforce report

JIB responds to CSJ Skills to Build report with call to prioritise direct employment and competence

All ECA Articles

Deadline extended: Enter the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

ECA urges Skills England to back low-carbon skills with training that protects safety and competence

Apprenticeships pay back: ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce

ECA backs FE Week warning: ‘green skills’ must mean qualified, competent and safe

2026 entries now open for the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award

Greater Manchester Alliance launches major drive to power up the region’s electrical workforce

Thames Valley educators and electrical businesses unite to address regional skills challenges

Electrical training alliance launches in South Yorkshire

North East alliance seeks to drive positive change in regional electrical skills

Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand

ECA urges next Welsh Government to address dramatic fall in electrical apprentices

ECA welcomes DESNZ clean workforce report

JIB responds to CSJ Skills to Build report with call to prioritise direct employment and competence

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