Simeon Perry, head of operations at EN:Able Communities, the charity arm of Efficiency North, looks at how bringing together experts from across the industry can offer a solution to the retrofit skills gap.
The race to retrofit
The previous government set ambitious climate change targets that mean around 27 million homes will need to be retrofitted by 2025 to reach net zero – and the new government is expected to pursue similar targets.
Much of the UK’s housing stock is old, energy inefficient, and no longer fit for purpose when we consider the government’s net zero targets. Around 5.8 million homes in the UK are over 100 years old, and if we are to meet these targets we need to be retrofitting at scale and pace, with a particular effort needed in the social housing sector.
The industry is facing a growing skills gap, so it is crucial for us to consider whether we have the workforce needed to carry out the retrofit required, and how we can develop the skills of workers to the necessary standards.
The skills gap
Efficiency North recently carried out a survey of contractors and found that more than 55% of respondents expected retrofit workforce shortages in the next 12 months. The key barriers to upskilling workers included a lack of funding for training and a shortage of retrofit apprenticeships.
According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) the sector has roughly 55,000 vacancies, with the greatest need being for labourers, electricians and joiners. These are some of the core trades that are required to enable the insulation of our housing stock and progress decarbonisation to help us meet net zero targets, and this shortage means the industry faces a real challenge.
Widespread retrofit knowledge across the industry is still wanting, posing a serious issue if the workers involved don’t understand the aims, risks or benefits of the measures being implemented, or how to undertake retrofit measures that are PAS-compliant. The medium and long-term implications of retrofit projects should also be considered, and all measures must be agreed and understood in advance so the process runs smoothly and achieves the best results. This undoubtedly demands a level of skill and experience.
We know that demand for these improved retrofit skills is set to rise further in the next three years, and while both further education and independent training providers plan to introduce more relevant courses over the next few years, our industry must plan to ensure we are addressing this challenge.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DENSZ) is expected to imminently announce £1.25bn of funding for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme, the largest wave of funding the scheme has seen so far – but to properly utilise this funding workers need to be fully-equipped with the skills they need.
Collaboration is key
Drawing on the expertise of different organisations is key to addressing the skills gap. By working collaboratively we can provide opportunities for training, learning and development that will help the industry work towards meeting the retrofit targets that have been set.
Hearing from different organisations, including contractors, social housing providers, local governments, and training providers, can help shape the future of retrofit training and give the industry a clear direction of where efforts should be concentrated in terms of upskilling. Developing relationships and partnerships with training providers is a crucial step here, and by nurturing the skills of those working in retrofit we can also support social housing landlords to serve their communities by offering future-proof homes.
Leeds College of Building is one such training provider that has committed to supporting the green construction skills space and has engaged in a collaborative approach to teaching its students. It has taken the learnings and experience of different organisations to give students a well-rounded understanding of the challenges and benefits of carrying out retrofit works.
Equipping students with this practical knowledge from those who work in the industry is a fantastic way to build the skills that will carry them through their careers and allow them to address the retrofit challenges our industry faces.
Setting the agenda
Developing a clear path forward for training and housing providers to follow will allow us to create positive change, and a collaborative approach means we can get the best out of our talent while meeting the needs of the industry too.
The development of the Yorkshire Retrofit Skills Forum is a positive step forwards toward meeting this goal, and will aim to bring together a wide range of stakeholders to boost skills, provide jobs and enable the industry’s workforce to deliver warmer, more energy-efficient homes.
Understanding the challenges of retrofit in the social housing sector is crucial to tackling them. By working together and drawing on the retrofitting expertise and experience of those across the industry, we can confidently strive to achieve those ambitious climate change targets.
To find out more about Efficiency North, please visit https://www.efficiencynorth.org