Regional skills pilot

A significant increase in skilled workers is required to retrofit homes across the UK and meet net zero by 2050.

To help address the skills gap, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) launched a £5.3 million Regional Skills Pilot project delivered by the five Local Net Zero Hubs in England.

The objective was to create a Net Zero Building Retrofit Skills Plan for each region. This plan would identify, then implement the necessary steps to develop local supply chain capacity.

The project was delivered in two phases:

• Creation of tailored retrofit skills plans for each area

• Deliver the activities set out in the skills plans

The Midlands Net Zero Hub took a place-based approach to the project and awarded funding to:

• Birmingham City Council

• Bolsover District Council

• East Lindsey District Council

Each of the local authorities investigated challenges and opportunities in their areas to develop the retrofit supply chain.

We also procured a consultant to produce a final plan for the Midlands region based on the findings from the three local authorities. The project identified four key challenges for delivering retrofit projects in the region:

1. Insufficient existing construction workers gaining the knowledge and skills required to effectively conduct retrofit activities.

2. Lack of new entrants wanting to gain skills in retrofit trades.

3. Insufficient coordination to reduce unnecessary work or duplication.

4. Skill requirement and administration burden of retrofit Trustmark lodgement for ECO4.

The project identified nine recommendations to overcome these challenges:

1. Establish a Regional Retrofit Leadership Group to guide stakeholders.

2. Coordinate local skills initiative, provide information and intelligence and undertake engagement activities through a Midlands Retrofit Skills team.

3. Create a Retrofit Employer Network to support the supply chain, particularly micro and small businesses.

4. Develop and implement a youth engagement programme to promote careers in the sector.

5. Deliver funding for training, certification, and micro credentials, and signpost to existing opportunities.

6. Review national standards for retrofit skills across all measures to deliver a consistent approach for customers.

7. Develop a communications plan to raise awareness of retrofit careers with tradespeople, new entrants, and career transitions.

8. Encourage employers to take on apprentices.

9. Collate data on skills and employment in the sector and forecast skills demand.

In the second phase of the Regional Skills Pilot, funding was made available to implement the solutions identified in the plan. Through the project, several outputs were created including:

• Career engagement materials to raise awareness of retrofit careers with young people and SMEs

• 12 full training rigs delivered and over 10,000 components delivered to configure ~14 training rigs

• 30 local businesses were engaged

• Three videos were created for engaging SMEs:

Part 1 – What is retrofit and why should SMEs get involved

Part 2 – What do SMEs need to get into retrofit

Part 3 – How can SMEs find retrofit work

• Six workshops were held to build networks and share knowledge – audiences included local authorities, training providers, and local businesses

These outputs are expected to support the retrofit supply chain in the Midlands region.

You can view the full report and findings from the Regional Skills Pilot here.