ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) welcomes two reports from JTL Training and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP), which highlight the urgent action needed to fill the skills gap in the electrical industry.
JTL’s report, Powering the Future: Securing a Skilled Electrical Workforce to Deliver Growth, reveals that the electrical workforce in England has declined by 26.2% since 2018, falling from 214,200 to just 158,000 electricians in 2024, with the trend continuing to a further decline of up to 32% by 2038, leaving the workforce heavily under-resourced to meet the demands of a safe transition to net zero.
The report further states that more than 10,500 new apprentice starts are needed annually to meet the demand – the current level falls short by some margin at 7,540 per year.
ECA calls for policymakers to use the projection tool that has been produced by JTL and to target funding into practical-based apprenticeships and other industry-recognised training routes.
There is a perception in the industry that the range of challenges employers are facing is increasingly making the employment of apprentices not a financially viable option. However, TESP’s research, Electrotechnical apprentice return on investment, shows that by year three of the apprenticeship, employers start to see a return on investment. If apprentices are charged out at a higher rate, businesses will see a return on investment by the end of year one.
ECA is calling for the Government and the electrical industry to work together to ensure that apprentices continue to be trained to future-proof the UK’s clean energy transition.
Access the full JTL report here, and the TESP research report here.
Last updated 22 May 25