UK publishes Clean Energy Jobs Plan to create 400,000 jobs

The UK Government published its first national Clean Energy Jobs Plan to train the workforce for a clean energy expansion and expects an extra 400,000 jobs by 2030.

• Main announcement: The UK Government (DESNZ / Office for Clean Energy Jobs) published the Clean Energy Jobs Plan on 19 October, setting workforce estimates that target employment to double to 860,000 by 2030 and deliver 400,000 extra jobs by 2030; it names 31 priority occupations (e.g., plumbers, electricians, welders) and will open 5 new Technical Excellence Colleges. The plan links workforce criteria to public grants and procurements, and includes commitments such as fair work charters, closing offshore employment law loopholes, and piloting workforce criteria in DESNZ grants (including the Clean Industry Bonus and Great British Energy). Skills pilots in Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire are backed by £2.5 million.
• Background and implementation details: The plan is backed by record investment—over £50 billion of private investment announced since July 2024—and cites concrete projects and investments (Sizewell C, SMR preferred bidder Rolls Royce, Acorn and Viking CCUS projects). It includes targeted measures for veterans (Mission Renewable), ex-offenders and unemployed, an Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (nearly £1 million in Aberdeen this year, additional £450,000 from the Scottish Government, and plans to scale to up to £18 million across 2026–2029), and up to £20 million jointly from UK and Scottish governments to retrain oil & gas workers. Centrica announced a £35 million Training Academy in Lutterworth as part of the response.