Government expert group to secure future of water industry workforce
The water industry in England and Wales is set to benefit from a new group created by government to ensure it has the skilled workforce it needs to deliver record levels of investment and reform.
The Water Skills Strategic Group is co-chaired by Energy & Utility Skills and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It held its first meeting today, (13th November 2025) bringing together senior leaders in government, from across the water sector and its supply chain.
The group’s focus will be the delivery of the £104 billion ‘AMP8’ investment – the largest since privatisation – which will create more than 30,000 new jobs, support the building of 1.5 million new homes, and help restore the nation’s rivers, lakes and seas.
Convened by Defra with support from Energy & Utility Skills, and partners, the group will drive coordinated action to grow a future-ready, highly skilled workforce across England and Wales, which will form the future of the water sector.
The Group will ensure the water sector has the skills needed to deliver huge infrastructure projects including nine new reservoirs, nine large-scale water transfer schemes and reducing leaks from water pipes. This will include roles such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.
Meeting quarterly, the group will focus on identifying where skills are needed most across the sector, exploring how to improve its attractiveness to new, diverse talent and ensuring the right training and qualifications are in place. A framework for measuring progress will ensure the group is achieving its objectives, creating impact and robustly planning to support the implementation of the government’s water reform.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
“We’re driving the biggest overhaul of the water sector since privatisation – making sure record investment goes where it’s needed most to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
“That means opening up jobs and opportunities across England and Wales so we have skilled people on the ground, in every community, delivering the change we all want to see.
“This partnership between government, industry and training bodies will help build the workforce we need for the future of our water sector.”
Paul Cox, Group Chief Executive, Energy & Utility Skills, said:
“The water sector stands at a pivotal moment with a shared responsibility to deliver for customers and the environment. Skills are central to that ambition. The scale of AMP8 investment will bring lasting benefits for communities, families and individuals across the United Kingdom.
“By grounding decisions in evidence, attracting new talent, developing expertise and retaining experience, the sector can build a skilled and resilient workforce ready to meet future challenges. Through collaboration and pace, the sector can turn ambition into delivery and secure clean, reliable and sustainable water for generations to come.”
This builds on commitments made at the Water Skills Summit earlier this year where government and industry leaders signed the Water Skills Pledge, affirming the government’s commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.
Defra also established the Water Delivery Taskforce, which brings together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers. It is Defra’s intention to see strong connections and information sharing between the Water Delivery Taskforce, and the Water Skills Strategic Group.
Operating across England and Wales, the Water Skills Strategic Group will also be directly connected to the Energy & Utility Skills Water Skills & Competence Steering Group (WSCG). The WSCG operates UK wide and focuses on operational delivery and turning strategy into tangible workforce actions. WSCG members work closely with training providers, professional bodies and regulators to deliver safety critical and competence solutions.
