ECITB Unveils Five-Year Plan to Address UK Skills Shortages

(Credit: ECITB)

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has unveiled its new strategy, Leading Industry Learning, outlining how it will help to address skills shortages and support industry growth in Great Britain.

The strategy sets out a five-year plan, from 2026 to 2030, to develop the skills needed for the delivery of critical infrastructure projects, energy security and net zero ambitions.

Shaped by insights from employers, training providers, asset owners, the government, trade unions and other industry bodies, the plan reflects the real needs and evolving priorities of the engineering construction industry (ECI).

The ECITB forecasts that 40,000 additional workers could be needed for major projects, including those related to net zero, by 2030, placing employers in direct competition for labor from $724 billion (£531 billion) of infrastructure projects in the wider U.K. economy.

These projects span a range of sectors, including nuclear new build and decommissioning, renewables, oil and gas, water treatment and food and drink. They will also include hydrogen and carbon capture projects linked to the decarbonization of the industrial clusters, which are at the heart of the country’s net zero plans.

The 2026-30 strategy aims to help industry meet the workforce volume challenge and prepare for a boom in project activity for engineering construction employers.

Built on three pillars, the strategy will support employers and deliver quality training products and qualifications that meet industry needs as well as robust labor market intelligence to enable better workforce planning.

It will seek to grow the number of new entrants joining the industry and help employers access a broader, more diverse talent pool. It will also focus on workforce retention, supporting upskilling, reskilling and competence assurance.

Also, it will transform skills through strategic investment in regional hubs, harnessing new technologies, modular and blended learning and driving a collaborative approach. 

“The engineering construction industry and its supply chain companies engineer, project manage and install much of the critical infrastructure required across Great Britain.

“Our new strategy sets out how the ECITB will rise to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and fast-changing external environment and deliver positive, long-term outcomes for our levy payers, the wider workforce and the country.

“Our approach aligns with the UK Government’s mission-driven focus – particularly its goal to transition to clean power and stimulate sustainable economic growth in doing so.

“Moving to a five-year strategy cycle reflects our determination to drive long-term outcomes through significant interventions that can deliver lasting impact,” said Lynda Armstrong OBE, Chair of the ECITB Board.