To ensure the UK government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero greenhouse
gas emissions by 2050 is on track, the construction industry will require the
equivalent of 350,000 new roles to be created by 2028.
These will need to be found through a mix of new skilled jobs, increased
efficiencies in existing roles, and innovation in how the industry decarbonises
the built environment. That’s the key finding of Building Skills for Net
Zero, published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
UK construction contributes approximately 40% of the UK’s emissions
according to the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) and reducing this to Net
Zero represents a huge challenge. Yet the move to cleaner, greener construction
presents big opportunities to make the industry more attractive to new recruits
and upskill the existing workforce.
A critical element of achieving Net Zero will be reducing carbon emissions
from existing buildings. Across the UK 80% of buildings in use in 2050 have
already been built and these could represent 95% of future built environment
emissions. Reducing emissions to Net Zero will require retrofit work on up to
27 million domestic and 2 million non-domestic buildings.
CITB has modelled the skills profile of the workforce needed to deliver Net
Zero using data from the Climate Change Committee (CCC). This shows that by
2028, additional decarbonisation work will have created the demand for 86,000
construction project managers, 33,000 building envelope specialists and 59,000
plumbers and HVAC specialists.
This opportunity comes alongside the COVID-19 pandemic and an expected rise
in unemployed workers coming from other sectors. This is a perfect time for the
construction to position itself as a career destination of choice for people
who really want to make a difference.
CITB’s research shows that reducing built environment emissions to Net Zero
can be achieved if there is an industry-wide investment in skills, far-reaching
skills policy reform and an unprecedented recruitment drive. The challenge is
great, but so are the rewards, giving thousands of people new career
opportunities as we emerge from a time of national crisis.
Chris Carr, Managing Director of Carr & Carr Builders, and Federation of
Master Builders Board Member, said: “The skills challenge around Net Zero is
huge and this research shows how it can be tackled. A big part of it will be
upskilling the current workforce so that they understand what sustainable
building is all about. I welcome this report and the Construction Leadership
Council’s National Retrofit Strategy which show how, if we work together as an
industry, we can make construction greener while seizing opportunities for
growth.”
CITB Strategy and Policy Director Steve Radley said: “Net Zero presents a
huge challenge for construction but an even greater opportunity to create a
more productive industry that’s also a more attractive career option.
“We can get there by being clear on the key skills we’ll need, making sure
we have the right courses and qualifications to deliver them and getting on
with investing in them. Industry is already delivering what is needed, but it
needs to happen at scale. The training sector must act now as employers’ needs
will change fast. A joined up approach to skills across the built environment
is key.
“Government also has a key role in specifying what it wants and creating the
pipeline of demand that will give industry the confidence to invest in the
skills we need and for providers to invest in the courses we need to deliver
these skills.”
The CITB’s report is published to compliment the CLC Skills Plan, which sets
out industry action to modernise and decarbonise skills, and CO2nstructZero, a
collaborative industry change programme to deliver Net Zero.
