Labour MP Martin McCluskey has highlighted the potential for Britain’s transition to clean energy to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, arguing that practical and technical skills will become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace.
McCluskey said up to 400,000 additional jobs could be supported in clean energy during this decade, pointing to opportunities for workers entering sectors that will be central to Britain’s future economy.
Writing on X, the Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West MP said:
“There are jobs in clean energy that AI simply can’t do.
Up to 400,000 extra jobs will be supported in clean energy this decade.
For years young people were told that desk jobs were the future, but learning practical skills has never been more important.”
McCluskey said the Government was therefore working to ensure that people of different ages can acquire the skills required to take advantage of the new opportunities.
He added: “That’s why we are helping more people of all ages get the skills they need to be part of powering Britain’s future.”
His intervention comes as the Labour Government seeks to link its clean-energy ambitions with a wider programme of economic growth, skills development and the creation of well-paid employment across the country.
The emphasis on practical skills also reflects a wider debate about how the labour market will change as AI becomes increasingly capable of carrying out tasks traditionally associated with office-based employment.
While technology is expected to reshape many occupations, jobs involved in constructing, installing, operating and maintaining Britain’s energy infrastructure will continue to require significant numbers of skilled workers on the ground.
For Labour, the challenge will be ensuring that the expansion of clean energy translates into secure jobs and opportunities in communities across Britain — and that young people and existing workers have access to the training needed to fill them.
