The Electrical Contractors' Association has said its members have helped shape thinking on good jobs under the government's Warm Homes Plan, after two forums with the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce.
The Taskforce, co-led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the TUC, brings together government, unions, local authorities, business and civil society to support the workforce needed to deliver publicly funded home upgrades. ECA brought electrical contractors of different sizes together with Taskforce representatives to discuss what good employment looks like and the practical issues that should shape future standards.
Other participants included the TUC, E3G, NICEIC, Unite and the Electrotechnical Joint Industry Board. The Warm Homes Plan aims to upgrade up to five million homes by 2030 through measures including insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries. Ministers say the programme could support up to 180,000 additional jobs.
Eldred: 'A race to the bottom in clean energy would undermine safety'
ECA Managing Director Andrew Eldred said members had long called for stronger government support for employment, competence and training standards in the built environment.
"ECA and our Members have long called for stronger government support for employment, competence and training standards in the built environment. A race to the bottom in clean energy would undermine not just responsible businesses and competent workers, but also the safety, quality and reliability of the installations themselves. We are pleased ECA Members have been able to help shape the Taskforce's thinking. Future standards must be both ambitious and workable."
Employers at the forums called for a more level playing field for firms investing in direct employment, training and competence, and raised practical points on how a good jobs standard could be measured and enforced. Participants included firms that subscribe to the JIB collective agreement and others that do not.
Carter: 'Clean energy work must create good jobs'
Jon Carter, Director at Reading-based ECA Member Carter Electrical Installation Ltd., said small firms see the value of competent, directly employed and properly trained workers first-hand.
"As a small business, we see first-hand the value of competent, directly employed and properly trained workers. We strongly support efforts to raise standards across domestic retrofit and ensure clean energy work creates good jobs."
The Taskforce will consider ECA members' feedback alongside evidence from trade unions, local government and other industry bodies. ECA said it would continue to provide practical employer evidence on how any future approach could work across the range of businesses involved in domestic clean energy and home-upgrade work.
