ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) is urging the next Welsh Government to address the steep decline in electricians and apprentices working in Wales. The number has fallen from 13,400 in 2015, to only 7,600 today, according to ECA’s 2026 Wales Manifesto published today.
ECA’s Skills Charter states that Wales needs a minimum of 700 new electrical apprentices every year to maintain its current workforce. According to the latest figures, only 435 electrical apprentices started training in Wales last year. However, ECA says this decline is reversable, if the new administration takes on board the solutions suggested by the industry. ECA is urging all political parties to include in their manifestos practical solutions to reversing this disturbing trend.
Two Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliances (ETCAs) spearheaded by ECA, are in the pipeline to be launched in Wales this year. The Alliances, which already exist elsewhere in the UK, bring together businesses, education providers and local decision makers to strengthen electrotechnical skills development and careers provision, to provide the competence and professionalism needed to meet the demand of electrification in the country.
Andrew Hutchins, Chair of ECA South Wales Executive Committee, said:
“Apprenticeship funding, in its current form, is not delivering what the electrical industry in Wales urgently needs. While the intention behind the funding model is positive—supporting skills development and creating a pipeline of qualified electricians—the reality on the ground is very different.
“Electrical employers face increasing administrative burdens, inconsistent access to funds, and training requirements that often fail to reflect the technical demands of the sector.”
ECA’s manifesto sets out three areas which a new government must address to maintain the safe and reliable electricity currently enjoyed in Wales, and which will generate good jobs and economic growth:
- To prioritise realistic support to deliver electrical apprenticeships.
- Set out measures to support small businesses, who are the backbone of the industry and train most electrical apprentices.
- Embed safety and competence as a legal requirement for all electrical standards to prevent falling standards as progress creates a rapid expansion of electrical installations.
ECA firms in Wales have made considerable headway in raising issues of concern, particularly around skills provision, with the Welsh Government and other public bodies since the cut in apprenticeship funding in 2023.
With elections on the horizon, ECA urges candidates to recognise the role electrical contractors play in the future of Wales.
Wales is holding its General Election on 7 May.
Read ECA’s full Wales Manifesto here in English, and here in Welsh.
Last updated 13 January 26
