Energy & Utility Skills Group has published the Innovative Ways of Working Report, developed through collaboration across the electricity transmission and distribution supply chain.
Produced as part of the Electricity Transmission Industry Skills & Workforce Planning Programme, with input from 21 organisations across the sector including National Grid, AECOM and Omexom, the report explores how innovation can help unlock workforce capacity and support delivery of future energy infrastructure.
As demand grows across energy security, net zero and infrastructure investment, the findings highlight that workforce challenges cannot be addressed through recruitment alone. They also point to the need for existing skills and expertise to be deployed more effectively through new delivery models, technologies, processes and ways of working.
Three innovation pathways are identified as already delivering benefits across the sector:
- automation, robotics and mechanisation
- standardisation and modularised build
- digital tools and artificial intelligence
Andrew Coffey, Technical Delivery Manager, Mott MacDonald, said:
“Meeting the unprecedented demands of the UK’s energy transition requires us to think beyond workforce growth alone. This report demonstrates that innovative ways of working, through digitalisation, standardisation, automation, and new delivery models, can unlock significant capacity across the transmission and distribution sector. Built on insights from leading organisations across the supply chain, it provides a clear evidence base for the changes needed to improve productivity, accelerate delivery, and make the most efficient use of the existing specialist skills base.”
A key theme is the supply chain’s appetite for more consistent and comparable regulatory standards across Transmission System Operators (TSOs), with aligned expectations seen as essential to scaling innovation and improving delivery of future grid upgrades.
The findings also highlight the value of establishing a dedicated forum where suppliers can collaborate directly with TSOs, gain visibility of emerging innovations funded through mechanisms such as the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and better understand how these developments could shape future delivery models.
Hannah Russell, Client Director of Power Renewables and Industrial, AtkinsRéalis said:
“Achieving net zero requires unprecedented collaboration across the T&D sector. This report stands out because it doesn’t just look at the industry from the top down; it elevates the authentic voice of our supply chain and delivery ecosystem. Grounded in insights from more than 20 key organizations, these findings highlight the practical, innovative ways of working that will unlock capacity, accelerate delivery, and deepen collaboration across TSOs and the wider supply chain, helping the sector succeed together.”
Yuliya Khilko, Programme Manager, Industry Skills & Workforce Planning, National Grid, said:
“What makes this report particularly significant is not just the findings it presents, but the collaboration behind it. Through the Electricity Transmission Industry Skills & Workforce Planning Programme, organisations from across the transmission sector came together in a way we have not seen before, openly sharing challenges, insights and innovative solutions. This collective approach has created a stronger evidence base for action and demonstrates what can be achieved when industry works together to address shared workforce and delivery challenges.”
Several barriers to wider adoption are also identified, including fragmented standards, assurance processes, commercial incentives, digital interoperability and cultural resistance.
The recommendations set out practical steps to accelerate innovation adoption, improve productivity and support more efficient delivery across the sector. These include greater standardisation, clearer routes from innovation funding to adoption, proportionate assurance processes, commercial incentives aligned to productivity, and stronger cross-sector leadership.
Stephen Barrett, Director of Membership & Strategic Engagement, Energy & Utility Skills Group, added:
“This report demonstrates the value of industry collaboration in addressing shared workforce and delivery challenges. As demand across the sector continues to grow, innovative ways of working will be essential to making better use of skills, improving productivity and supporting the future workforce. It strongly complements the ambitions of the Energy & Utility Skills Partnership and Skills Strategy 2025-2030, with a collective focus on attracting, developing and retaining the people our sector needs.”
Energy & Utility Skills Group is pleased to support publication as part of its commitment to workforce planning, skills development and industry collaboration.
Download the full Innovative Ways of Working Report to explore the findings, industry evidence and recommendations in more detail.
