The UK government, through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, has unveiled a proposal that would require offshore wind developers to finance job training in their local communities. Announced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the initiative aims to ensure that the clean energy transition delivers well-paid, unionized, and high-quality jobs in coastal and industrial regions across the country.

The plan is part of the so-called Fair Work Charter, developed jointly with trade unions and industry. It would require developers either to contribute to a skills fund or to invest directly in training through educational programs, apprenticeships, new equipment, or training facilities.

According to the government, professional training could be offered through educational schemes, training centers, new tools, and hands-on experience such as internships, creating new opportunities for workers and unlocking growth across the UK. The initiative also encourages developers and supply chain companies to create more secure, high-quality jobs in offshore wind, with better union access and stronger wage and labor protections.

These measures would be introduced through the Clean Industry Bonus, which provides funding for offshore wind developers on the condition that they build new factories in disadvantaged regions or invest in more sustainable supply chains to boost economic growth. The consultation will also seek views on extending the Clean Industry Bonus to onshore wind, following the government’s launch of the first-ever onshore wind strategy earlier this year. The aim is to restart the sector after years of stagnation under the previous government’s de facto ban, with up to 45,000 new jobs expected by 2030.

The proposals are designed to ensure that these new jobs are consistently skilled, safe, and fairly paid, providing long-term stability and career opportunities as the UK transitions to clean energy. They come ahead of the country’s first Clean Energy Workforce Strategy, which will guarantee that jobs in renewable energy are not only widely available but also of high quality.

Offshore wind requires a broad range of skilled workers across the country, including blade repair, mechanics, turbine maintenance, marine spatial planning, and health and safety. However, unions and workers have long called for more consistent labor standards and greater access to union representation. These proposals would ensure the industry meets its obligations while working with unions to build stable, long-term employment.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband stated that “Britain’s clean energy future will be powered by safe, unionized jobs for local people across the country – from East Anglia to Teesside and Aberdeen.”