More than 400 young people and jobseekers met some of the UK’s largest clean energy employers at a jobs fair in Birmingham on Thursday 12 November. The event, held at University College Birmingham, was the third Clean Energy Jobs Fair, bringing students face to face with recruiters from National Grid, Centrica, Octopus Energy and British Gas.

Around 400 of those attending were aged 15 to 18, alongside 50 young people not in education, employment or training. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and Local Energy and Jobs Minister Martin McCluskey joined them at the fair, which the government is using to steer young people towards skilled energy work.

Apprenticeships open as employers set out demand

National Grid told students its apprenticeship and graduate applications open this week, and pointed to its £5 million fund to help young people facing greater barriers into energy and infrastructure jobs. Centrica said it was committed to recruiting 3,500 apprentices by 2030, while Hitachi Energy, Rolls-Royce SMR and Daikin also set out roles on offer, from engineering and installation to technical support and commercial work.

The government said entry-level pay in most clean energy occupations runs 23% higher than in the same occupations elsewhere, with 31 priority trades — including plumbers, electricians and welders — in particular demand. West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said the region’s clean energy sector already employs over 20,000 people and he expected that to more than double over the next decade.

The fair follows the government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan, which sets out how the clean energy mission could support thousands of extra jobs in the West Midlands by 2030. It was held as the Prime Minister attended COP31, where he welcomed £12 billion of investment in two major new UK offshore wind projects.

Sources: GOV.UK, University College Birmingham