The UK government has unveiled its first-ever national plan to recruit and train workers for the clean energy transition, forecasting more than 400,000 additional jobs by 2030.

Published on 19 October 2025, the Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out a comprehensive strategy to meet rising demand for skilled workers across renewable, nuclear, and low-carbon industries. The initiative aims to double total employment in the clean energy sector to 860,000 by the end of the decade.

The plan identifies 31 priority occupations, including plumbers, electricians, and welders, considered vital to the clean energy transition. To help address the growing skills gap, the government will also establish five new Technical Excellence Colleges to train the next generation of workers. These efforts are part of a broader target for two-thirds of young people to engage in higher-level learning, such as apprenticeships or technical training, by age 25.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the plan marks a turning point for industrial communities across Britain. “The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call—and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen,” Miliband said. “Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid, secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.”

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden added that the initiative will help workers gain the skills needed to thrive in a low-carbon economy. “We’re giving workers the skills needed for the switch to clean energy, which is good for them, good for industry, and will drive growth across the nation,” McFadden said.

The plan also emphasizes fair working conditions and strong union involvement. The government will introduce a Fair Work Charter between offshore wind developers and trade unions to guarantee decent wages and workplace rights. Employment protections for offshore clean energy workers will also be strengthened to align with those in the oil and gas sector.

Since last year, the government’s clean energy mission has attracted over £50 billion in private investment. Major projects include the Sizewell C nuclear plant, expected to support 10,000 jobs during peak construction; Rolls-Royce’s small modular reactor programme, creating up to 3,000 jobs; and the Acorn and Viking carbon capture projects in Scotland and the North East, expected to support 35,000 roles, including 1,000 apprenticeships.

The government will also expand the Energy Skills Passport, which helps oil and gas workers transition into clean energy roles such as offshore wind, nuclear, and grid infrastructure.

For young workers, the clean energy sector offers significant economic potential: entry-level roles pay on average 23% more than equivalent positions in other industries, while jobs in wind, nuclear, and electricity networks typically advertise salaries above £50,000, compared to the UK average of £37,000.

Trade unions welcomed the plan as a major step toward rebuilding Britain’s industrial base. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said it represents “a serious plan to start to rebuild our industrial heartlands and deliver quality jobs in clean energy,” while GMB National Officer Charlotte Brumpton-Childs praised the roadmap for putting “unions and their members at the heart” of the transition.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the plan’s regional impact: “Wales’s growing clean energy industry is delivering the well-paid, highly-skilled jobs of the future—from Pembrokeshire to Flintshire, projects are creating opportunities for hundreds of young people and helping to drive regional growth.”