North West Regional Retrofit Skills Plan
Project Overview
The UK’s residential buildings currently account for 20% of our greenhouse gas emissions. To meet statutory carbon reduction targets, significant steps must be taken to decarbonise housing stock. Large-scale retrofit of existing homes would improve energy efficiency and integrate low-carbon heating solutions. A skilled workforce is required to deliver these upgrades effectively and at scale, alongside other measures.
The North West Net Zero Hub commissioned Think to assess the current state of the retrofit workforce in the region, identify the key challenges facing the delivery of this ambition, and specify the steps required in response.
Methodology
The North West Regional Retrofit Skills Plan’s creation required a multi-faceted approach. The project team evaluated current workforce capacity, mapped this against projected requirements, identified any potential gaps or pinch points within the sector, and developed an action plan in response. After producing an extensive analysis of the regional labour market and interviewing more than 100 stakeholders, Think produced a targeted action plan built around a series of practical implementation activities.
Key findings
The North West construction sector is substantial, but the proportion of businesses currently engaging in retrofitting is low. Think identified a number of factors that could affect the successful rollout of retrofit activities; the need for over 3k new skilled tradespeople annually to meet replacement demand, regional disparities and geographic imbalances, training gaps and a suboptimal number of leaners progressing into employment, lack of diversity within the current workforce, and a lack of knowledge, support and guaranteed funding to allow businesses to invest, grow and plan.
Proposals
Based on the key findings, Think outlined five key priorities and corresponding targets within the Retrofit Skills Plan.
Upskilling the existing workforce
In 20 years’ time, half the people currently employed in the retrofit subsectors will still be employed in them. It’s not enough to rely on the recruitment of new workers; the current workforce needs to be equipped with the skills for retrofit design, installation and maintenance in order to meet urgent demand.
Growing the future workforce
It’s clear that there’s a need to inspire young people to enter the workforce through apprenticeships or FE courses. Increasing the number of people progressing from FE into the construction industry will help to offset pressures and future-proof this sector.
Increasing diversity in the workforce
The demographic make-up of the construction sector in the North West doesn’t reflect the profile of the population. This limits the number of people available to enter the workforce, and deprives the sector of diverse perspectives and experiences. Increasing the number of women and BAME learners on construction apprenticeships in the region is an obvious way to diversify, but employers also need support to achieve this.
Building capability on the demand side
Even businesses keen to invest in the upskilling and resources required to retrofit need support to navigate barriers to growth. Information-sharing around demand-side challenges and procurement rules will help employers to plan more efficiently.
Developing training capacity
The capacity of colleges to deliver training must scale up to meet future demand. Due to the disparity in learner numbers across the region and the need to upskill college staff, a collaborative approach is needed to deliver quality training.
Conclusion
The North West already possesses an engaged and experienced workforce. There is also an appetite for change; the take-up of existing government schemes to upgrade households is relatively high compared to other regions. However, to deliver the extensive and specific programme of retrofit work required, this workforce needs to upskill and grow. The North West Regional Retrofit Skills Plan offers a comprehensive set of priorities and actions to address these workforce challenges. Think’s recommendations aim to ensure the delivery of retrofit activity at pace and at scale. By focusing on reskilling the existing workforce, diversifying the sector, supporting businesses to navigate change, and strengthening the regional training infrastructure, this plan not only aims to meet retrofit demands but also to create sustainable employment pathways that benefit residents and employers.
With targeted action such as that outlined in the plan, the North West can position itself as a leader in retrofit innovation and workforce development.
Client Quote
“Think worked with the North West Net Zero Hub on a challenging project with tight timeframes. The project required the team to be able to synthesise complex information for a very technical sector. Think were able to mobilise the project quickly, undertaking initial research, stakeholder consultation and data analysis activities efficiently and effectively in order to set up the project well. The end result was a North West Retrofit Skills Plan, which has been well received. The content produced, as well as project management provided by Think was high quality and I would happily work with the team again. They communicated clearly and consistently and responded well to our team’s needs on the project.”
— Marissa Looby, Home Energy Lead, North West Net Zero Hub.