ECA calls on London Mayor to prioritise green electrical skills in the capital
ECA’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Eldred has reiterated calls on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to provide small electrical contractors with extra financial and administrative support to hire apprentices for crucial low-carbon electrotechnical work.
He also called for direct funding of the Electrotechnical Experienced Worker Assessment route, as well as infrastructure to assist completion of the Assessment. Following ECA’s contributions to the London Assembly Environment Committee’s investigation into low-carbon skills in the capital, the Committee published an open letter to the Mayor asking that he prioritise green skills and apprenticeships as we work towards net zero carbon emissions.
Andrew Eldred told the Committee that there are particular challenges in providing opportunities for on-the-job training because of the small size of many electrotechnical and engineering services contractors.
He suggested that additional assistance for small companies would enable more to consider taking on apprenticeships, adding, “I absolutely buy into the idea of extra support for smaller employers. For the electrical apprenticeship, 80 per cent of all electrical apprentices are already employed by non-levy companies, the smaller companies.
“However, many smaller businesses do not have the bandwidth to manage the full burden of taking on an apprentice. They are put off by bureaucracy, so additional incentives and support, including potentially wage support, could be targeted at those companies. If that support is provided upfront, particularly for a small outfit that is taking on its first apprentice, we could see a resolution to the issue.”
The ability to upskill our existing workforce is also crucial in meeting skyrocketing demand for low-carbon installations. The open letter cites Andrew Eldred as advising the Mayor to “boost support for the EWA [Experienced Worker Assessment] route, including providing the infrastructure to support completion of the EWA.”
The EWA allows people who have already worked in the electrical industry, or a closely related field to gain a qualification, provided that they can demonstrate adequate existing knowledge and fill gaps through training and experience before taking an assessment of competence.
Read the full open letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan here.
This article was issued via press release as "ECA calls on London Mayor to prioritise green electrical skills in the capital" dated February 29, 2024.
--ECA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Achieving net zero in social housing.
- Actuate UK issues climate warning and urges action.
- Aligning net zero with the levelling-up agenda.
- A zero-carbon UK by 2050?
- Carbon neutral.
- Climate Change Act.
- Construction skills crisis threatens UK net zero goals.
- ECA research cited in Welsh Government consultation on Net Zero Sector Skills.
- England, Wales, electrical skills, training and net zero in 2023.
- Making Mission Possible: report on achieving a zero-carbon economy by 2030.
- Net zero building higher education and the skills of the future.
- Net zero by 2050.
- Net Zero not possible without right skills.
- Net zero strategy: build back greener.
- Skills in the construction industry.
- Skilled workforce unable to meet net zero ambitions.
- Skills shortage.
Featured articles and news
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Top 50 firms awarded 52bn of projects in the last year
New engineering data shows.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Plumbing and heating for successful retrofit and renovation
Low temperature underfloor systems and heat pumps.
Cost-of-living crisis and home improvement plans
Starting on the right footing and top tips for projects.
Delays on construction projects
Types, mitigation and the acceleration of works.
From Chaucer to Fawlty Towers.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.