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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The possible bottleneck in the electrotechnical qualifications sector

Are new EAS requirements and tighter ECS criteria set to squeeze the workforce at a time when electrical expertise is more critical than ever? The UK electrotechnical sector is approaching a critical pressure point. Following the introduction of the updated Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) and wider electrical scheme changes coming into force this October, registered […]

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Welsh Government retrofit report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA

With a Senedd election approaching, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) is urging all parties to back a long-term plan to train the electricians needed to deliver home retrofit, and wider electrification, safely and at pace. The newly released Welsh Government-commissioned report Assessing workforce requirements for home retrofitting in Wales warns that Wales does not currently have the […]

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NICEIC launches apprenticeship job board for the electrotechnical industry

NICEIC, the UK’s leading certification and training body for the electrical industry, has announced the launch of Connected Futures, a dedicated apprenticeship job board designed to connect certified businesses with aspiring apprentices across the UK.  With a pressing need across the sector to close the skills gap, expanding high‑quality apprenticeships and building a skilled workforce capable […]

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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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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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