The House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee has today (5/12/25) published its report on, “Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy”, warning that the Government will miss its 2030 and 2050 targets without decisive action to tackle the skills gap. The report calls for a nationally recognised, industry-backed construction and retrofit skills programme.

The Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) who gave evidence to the Committee’s inquiry has welcomed the report’s findings, stressing the need for long-term certainty, practical support for SMEs, and clear career pathways to attract young people into high-quality jobs.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB commented:

“The FMB strongly welcomes the Committee’s call for a nationally recognised, industry-backed construction and retrofit skills programme. This is exactly the kind of bold intervention we need to tackle the skills crisis and deliver the Government’s ambitious targets for clean energy and housing. Small builders are ready to play their part, but they need clarity, long-term certainty, and practical support to train the next generation. The UK is not going to be able to meet its housing and retrofit goals without investing in home-grown talent. SMEs are the backbone of the construction industry, yet too often they are overlooked in skills planning.”

Berry continued:

“A national programme must work for small firms, with flexible training routes and funding that makes it viable for them to take on apprentices and upskill their workforce. We are currently experiencing a skills crisis, and so the Government must work with industry together to create clear career pathways and make construction and retrofit attractive to a young people. If we are serious about hitting our net zero targets, we need to do more to create high quality jobs in every community.”