Skills England says 250,000 more workers needed in clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors

ALMOST 250,000 more workers will be needed for jobs across the clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors, according to the government’s latest analysis. 

In its annual Skills Report for 2026, government agency Skills England said the clean energy workforce will need to grow by 71%, amounting to 63,000 jobs, by 2030 - a sharper increase than any other sector. The agency also expects 36,000 people to retire from clean energy jobs within the next five years. 

Skills England assessed skills and jobs demand across ten sectors, including the eight “priority growth” sectors highlighted in last year’s industrial strategy. 

Advanced manufacturing, meanwhile, will require an extra 47,000 workers by 2035, Skills England said, on top of the total 101,000 it expects to leave the industry. 

Out of 25 “priority occupations” in advanced manufacturing, including process engineers and engineering project managers, more than a quarter were in “critical” demand and over 70% were at least at “elevated” demand levels. 

In clean energy sectors, 14% of priority occupations were in “critical” demand. Plumbers and heating and ventilation workers were the occupations most in demand in clean energy, followed by electricians, carpenters and joiners. The report said “the majority of expected demand is largely concentrated at low qualification levels”. 

Around 770,000 people were employed in the UK’s advanced manufacturing sectors in 2025 while 232,000 people worked across clean energy. 

Skills England also found that, while advanced manufacturing and clean energy workers are more proficient than the UK average in numeracy and problem solving skills, they lagged behind in speaking and listening skills. Clean energy workers were also below the UK average in adapting, working with others, writing and leadership. Across all sectors, proficiency is lowest in leadership, averaging less than three on Skills England’s 1-5 scale. 

Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said: “With the jobs market changing faster than at any time in living memory, we must train people in the new skills needed for this labour market. 

“In the face of change, we are not standing back and abandoning people. At nearly one million, the number of young people not in education, employment or training is far too high. Acting on youth inactivity should be a cause that motivates us all.”