An Expert’s View
Ruth Devine
Bolstering Electrical Skills to Meet Net Zero Targets
The electrification and clean energy transition present both immense opportunities and significant challenges for the electrotechnical sector, particularly in addressing workforce shortages.
Ruth Devine MBE, Managing Director of SJD Associates and Chair of The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership, highlights the sector’s pressing need for skilled professionals to meet growing demands. While the industry has made strides in training apprentices — boasting 26,400 currently enrolled — the number still falls short of what is required to support the UK’s ambitious targets. Additionally, thousands of semi-qualified workers face barriers to achieving full electrician status, often due to insufficient funding, lack of support, or limited hands-on experience.
The dominance of small and micro-businesses in the sector complicates the challenge, as these firms may lack the capacity to train and supervise apprentices for the full duration of their apprenticeship. Ruth underscores the importance of addressing systemic issues, including increasing public funding for vocational training routes and creating more accessible pathways for career changers and underrepresented groups, particularly women and people from diverse backgrounds. While the percentage of women entering the sector has doubled in recent years, there remains a long way to go in building an inclusive workforce.
