Overview
A successful Net Zero (NZ) transition hinges on the country’s ability to adopt low-carbon technological and economic processes at scale and in a timely way across different sectors: from building renewable energy plants to retrofitting poorly insulated homes. This transformation requires substantial investment in skills. Yet, workers and firms may hesitate to train due to costs and uncertain returns, even if society as a whole is set to benefit from having a skilled workforce capable of delivering decarbonization and securing international competitiveness in green industries. The role of government is key in driving investments in low-carbon skills. Current initiatives to help facilitate this include the “Clean Energy Jobs Plan”, which sets out plans to boost related skills.
This policy brief assesses whether and how apprenticeships have contributed to the provision of low-carbon skills over recent years. We assess this against recent trends in employers’ demand for low-carbon skills. We provide some early evidence on the responsiveness of low-carbon skills supply through apprenticeships to demand. Finally, we discuss what this means in the current policy context and draw insights for policy.
Suggested citation
Cavaglia,, C., Ilin, I., McNally, S., Sato, M., Saussay, S., Ventura, G. (2026). Apprenticeships and Low-carbon skills in England. In Pathways to a Productive and Inclusive Net Zero. CEP Report Paper Number CEPSP54.