GOVERNMENT and industry need a better understanding of how skilled workers can move between sectors if the labour market is to make a full recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, says leading skills body, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.
New research published today – Skills Transferability in the Engineering Construction Industry – sheds light on the similarities in skills and competences of engineers in the many sectors that support Britain’s energy and processing infrastructure, from renewables to oil and gas, nuclear and pharmaceuticals.
The ECITB works with a wide range of oil and gas companies in the North-east, including around 20 registered companies in the supply chain.
With the most severe economic impact from Covid-19 felt in the oil and gas industry – a sector already under pressure – the ECITB asserts that with proper planning and coordination, the pandemic presents an opportunity to accelerate transition to a carbon-free economy.
However, the warning coming from the ECITB is that if we do not act quickly, we risk losing thousands of engineers who have the requisite skills to deliver decarbonisation.
In response, the ECITB is calling on the UK, Welsh and Scottish governments to put in place measures to support the reskilling of oil and gas workers for jobs in other sectors and industries to support the transition away from fossil fuels.
Research from the ECITB showed the oil and gas sector has already shed 7,500 jobs with Oil and Gas UK predicting up to 30,000 job losses over the next 12-18 months.
And forecasts show we could need at least 40,000 new workers with skills relevant to renewable energy, hydrogen fuel and carbon capture technologies to decarbonise the UK’s industrial clusters over the next decade.
Chris Claydon, ECITB chief executive, said: “Before the pandemic hit, the UK’s engineering construction industry faced persistent skills shortages and despite the economic downturn and current pressures, our expectation is that overall workforce demand will continue to exceed supply over the coming decades.
“While skills transferability is pursued to a limited extent through the UK Government’s National Retraining Scheme, with careful planning and greater focus on sectoral needs, many highly skilled roles that are transferable across engineering construction sectors could be more easily moved.
“Economic pressures from Covid-19 and oil price depression could see the UK haemorrhage skilled workers. The government needs to act quickly on this dual opportunity to deliver against our net zero commitment and prevent lasting unemployment in our industrial heartlands.”
