Electrical contractors have shared practical feedback and advice with government and trade unions on how publicly funded home upgrades can support skilled, secure and well-paid jobs.

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) brought together electrical contractors of different sizes in two Member forums with representatives from the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce (Taskforce). They discussed what good employment looks like and the practical issues that should shape future standards. Other participants included the TUC, E3G, NICEIC, Unite the Union and the Electrotechnical Joint Industry Board (JIB).

Creating good jobs through clean energy investment

The Taskforce, co-led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the TUC, brings together government, unions, local authorities, business and civil society to support the workforce needed for the Warm Homes Plan.

Its scope includes workers and businesses needed to install and maintain low-carbon and energy-saving measures in homes, including electricians, plumbing and heating engineers and other skilled trades.

Hearing the voice of electrical employers 

ECA’s Member forums offered an opportunity for Taskforce representatives to hear from firms with different business models, workforce sizes and experience of publicly funded retrofit and energy work. Participants included firms that subscribe to the JIB collective agreement and others that do not.

Everyone participating supported efforts to raise employment and skills standards in domestic repair, maintenance and improvement, with employers calling for a more level playing field for firms investing in direct employment, training and competence. They also raised practical points on how a good jobs standard could be measured and enforced.

Andrew Eldred, Managing Director at ECA, said: 

"ECA and our Members have long called for stronger government support for employment, competence and training standards in the built environment. A race to the bottom in clean energy would undermine not just responsible businesses and competent workers, but also the safety, quality and reliability of the installations themselves. We are pleased ECA Members have been able to help shape the Taskforce’s thinking. Future standards must be both ambitious and workable."

Jon Carter, Director at Reading-based ECA Member Carter Electrical Installation Ltd., said: 

"As a small business, we see first-hand the value of competent, directly employed and properly trained workers. We strongly support efforts to raise standards across domestic retrofit and ensure clean energy work creates good jobs."

Next steps

The Taskforce will consider feedback from ECA Members alongside evidence from trade unions, local government and other industry bodies. 

ECA will continue to provide practical employer evidence and help the Taskforce understand how any future approach could work across the full range of businesses involved in domestic clean energy and home-upgrade work.

The two Warm Homes forums are part of a wider ECA programme focused on supporting Members in major growth sectors.

ECA is now inviting expressions of interest from Members wishing to participate in other sector forums covering:

• Data Centres
• Defence and Nuclear
• Healthcare
• New-Build Housing
• Off-site Manufacturing
• Retail
• Social Housing
• Water and Waste Treatment.

These forums will help Members understand emerging opportunities, build industry connections and influence the issues that will shape future markets.

Firms interested in joining future activity should contact businesssupportdl@eca.co.uk.

ECA Members participating in the two ECA Warm Homes forums included:

• Barton Knight Energy
• Carter Electrical Installation
• Dodd Group
• Regen Group 
• RGE Services