Utility skills group pledges to stick by apprenticeships commitment

The Energy and Utilities Skills Partnership of 25 utilities and supply chain companies has restated its commitment to apprenticeships, as UK industries and employers have been forced by the Covid impacts to pause, or end their programmes.

Chief executive of Energy and Utility Skills, Nick Ellins, said the announcement was “no quick pledge,” and the partnership was “making clear that its long history of investing in apprenticeships remains firm, with employment through this approach continuing to be a key part of utility workforce strategy.”

The announcement on apprenticeships followed the recent launch of the Workforce Renewal & Skills Strategy 2020-2025 for the gas, power, water and waste management industries. The strategy sets out how utilities and their associated supply chain companies will tackle the 277,000 vacancies they expect across the sector over the next ten years.

Energy & Utilities companies committed to the apprenticeship pledge

• Affinity Water

• Anglian Water

• Cadent

• Centrica

• Clancy Docwra

• E.ON

• FCC Environment

• Keltbray Utilities

• Kier

• Morrison Utility Services

• National Grid

• Northern Gas Networks

• Northern Powergrid

• Northumbrian Water

• Pennon Group

• Scottish Power – Energy Networks

• Scottish Water

• SGN

• Southern Water

• SSE

• SES Water

• Thames Water

• UK Power Networks

• United Utilities

• Wales & West Utilities