Devolved Administrations
Working in partnership with devolved governments and skills bodies across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to ensure consistent standards, aligned qualifications, and evidence-led workforce planning.
Working Across the UK
On behalf of members and industry, the Energy & Utility Skills Group works in partnership with devolved governments and skills bodies to ensure consistent standards, clear pathways and evidence-led workforce planning across the four nations. While policy and delivery are devolved, the workforce is UK-wide. By working collaboratively, we support both local priorities and national ambitions.
Scotland
We work with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Government to ensure competence frameworks and occupational profiles align with national qualification frameworks. Our work includes reviewing National Occupational Standards, contributing to occupational mapping, and ensuring that the Scottish skills system reflects the needs of employers and employees across energy, water, and waste.
The ScotlandIS Survey 2024 showed 78% of respondents who supply the energy and utilities sector expected robust growth, underlining the scale of future demand. SDS’s Regional Skills Assessments also highlight electricity, energy networks and utilities as priority sectors for workforce planning.
The Energy & Utility Skills Group continues to manage Modern Apprenticeship frameworks such as Power Distribution SCQF Level 5, and we are working with SDS to design a sector entry model that will help new talent join the industry safely and at pace.
Northern Ireland
Our work with the Department for the Economy and the Northern Ireland Skills Council, provided the evidence and expertise to help shape the Green Skills Action Plan published in May 2025. At the launch of the plan, our Chair, Phil Beach CBE, underlined our commitment to support the Department for the Economy and to strengthen skills pathways that benefit members, industry, and communities.
The action plan sets out how Northern Ireland will equip individuals with the knowledge and skills required for a sustainable economy. Our role is to ensure energy and utility workforce priorities are embedded within this strategy. We achieve this through the involvement of our Group Chief Executive, Paul Cox, on the Green Skills Delivery Group, and through experts from across our business holding key positions in each of the plan’s priority workstreams.
The Green Skills Action Plan is linked here: Green Skills Action Plan | The Northern Ireland Executive
Wales
We engage with Skills Wales and the Welsh Government to align National Occupational Standards, apprenticeships and qualifications with the needs of the energy, water, and waste sectors. Our work includes supporting apprenticeship reforms, ensuring technical occupations are included in workforce strategies, and providing labour market evidence to shape investment. A current initiative also uses occupational profiles to create careers resources, making sector opportunities clearer and more accessible.
Moving forward
Across the devolved administrations, our focus is consistent: to provide credible evidence, convene partnerships and make a positive difference. We will continue to deepen collaboration with governments, regulators and skills bodies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to ensure every part of the UK workforce can deliver the essential services of the future.
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