UK: Renewable Energy Sector Calls for More Skilled Workers

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) can be found amongst the hundreds of exhibitors at the UK’s largest renewable energy event, All-Energy Exhibition & Conference, Aberdeen, on 22nd -23^rd May 2013.

As renewable energy remains a focal point of the UK’s energy mix, the ECITB will be at stand FG7 to showcase its range of products and services available to the sector, to develop a skilled renewables workforce. The free-to-attend annual event brings together all elements of the renewables sector; it unites business professionals, academia, finance community and Government to drive innovation, business and investment opportunities across the sector.

ECITB’s Offshore Regional Account Manager, Susan Smart said: “There are challenges we need to address in order to successfully deliver to the renewable energy sector. The engineering construction industry will experience a significant deficit of skilled people over the next few years as projects come on line. We must work together to ensure we have as transferable a workforce as possible to reduce waste as the same people move from project to project across sectors within the industry. This event will help to open discussions on how the ECITB can support the sector and how organisations collaborate to deliver the skills needed to develop the sector for the future.”

The Scottish Government has set a target of 100 per cent of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020, which will require over £10bn of investment. Tens of thousands of new jobs are expected to be created and it is the ECITB’s primary objective to ensure a skilled and competent renewables workforce is developed to secure this key area of growth for the region.

“The renewables sector is a major opportunity for growth in Scotland. The main objective for the ECITB is to ensure that there are appropriate entry level, graduate and re-skilling courses available and that we attract the right people to the industry. This sector requires engineers with multiple transferable engineering skills and ECITB courses are developed with this in mind,” Susan said.

The ECITB acts on behalf of the industry to attract, develop and qualify a workforce to fulfil the growing demands of the engineering construction industry. Using its 21 years of experience in delivering engineering training and competence solutions, it can support the delivery and transferability of skills, to support the growth of renewable energy in the UK.

[mappress]

Press release, May 20, 2013