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 skilled workforce needed to deliver home energy efficiency upgrades at the pace required to meet statutory decarbonisation targets. The report projects the gap could rise sharply over the next decade without action to expand training and improve retention.
ECA says the report mirrors concerns set out in its Welsh election manifesto. Wales faces a growing shortage of qualified electrical workers at the very moment demand is rising for retrofit, electrification and digital technologies. ECA analysis indicates Wales needs at least 700 new electrical apprentices each year to meet future demand. Only 435 started training last year.
The report concludes that, without further intervention, the labour supply available for retrofit is projected to decline through to 2035, driven by retirements and too few new entrants. It estimates Wales would need an additional 57,500 skilled workers over the next decade to deliver the retrofit agenda.
What ECA is calling for
In its Welsh election manifesto, ECA is calling on the next Welsh Government to:
- Grow the pipeline of competent electricians by backing employers to take on more apprentices and reversing the decline in electrical training starts.
- Join up retrofit delivery with skills planning – working with employers, training providers and Medr so funding, provision and pathways match delivery plans.
- Support SMEs to recruit apprentices by reducing administrative burdens and creating conditions that help firms invest in training and retain skilled workers in Wales.
- Improve procurement and mandate fair payment terms so the supply chain can plan, recruit and upskill without carrying disproportionate financial risk.
- Put safety and competence at the heart of the transition so rapid electrification does not compromise quality or public safety.
ECA is also spearheading the creation of Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliances (ETCAs) in Wales, bringing together employers, education providers and local decision-makers to strengthen careers provision, retraining and progression routes into skilled electrotechnical work.
Andrew Hutchins, Chair of ECA’s South Wales Executive Committee, said:
“This report is a wake-up call. Wales cannot meet its retrofit and electrification ambitions unless we urgently grow and retain a competent electrical workforce. That means backing apprenticeships, aligning skills policy with delivery plans, and making sure procurement and payment practices enable local SMEs to invest in training and quality.”
ECA warns that without a coordinated long-term plan to grow, train, retain and mobilise skilled workers, delivery targets will slip, widening the gap between retrofit ambition and what can be delivered on the ground.
ECA is ready to work with the next Welsh Government, Medr, local authorities and delivery partners on an actionable workforce plan – backed by clear targets, funded training routes designed with industry, and procurement approaches that support competent delivery at pace.
With the Senedd election approaching, ECA is calling on all political parties to commit to practical measures that close the skills gap and support Welsh businesses to deliver the clean energy transition safely.
