Local Energy and Jobs Minister Martin McCluskey has praised Centrica for helping Armed Forces veterans move into careers in Britain’s growing clean energy sector, as the company celebrated recruiting its 500th ex-forces employee.
McCluskey joined Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey at Centrica’s new £35 million training and research facility to mark the milestone, highlighting the valuable technical, leadership and problem-solving skills former service personnel can bring to the energy industry.
Writing on X, McCluskey said:
“We need the right skills to build Britain’s clean energy future.”
He added that the “skills, dedication & leadership of our Armed Forces community are a real asset to the UK’s clean energy sector”.
Centrica launched its Armed Forces Pathway to help service leavers, veterans, reservists and military spouses build civilian careers across the company. Since its introduction, 500 people from the Armed Forces community have joined Centrica in roles ranging from smart energy and engineering to heat pump installation, project management and senior leadership.
Around a quarter of those recruited through the programme entered as apprentices, while Centrica says its Military & Elite Athlete Talent Placement Programme has achieved an 85 per cent retention rate.
McCluskey said:
“Veterans bring problem-solving skills, technical expertise and leadership experience that are hugely valuable to the fast-growing clean energy sector.”
He said Centrica’s programme demonstrated the kind of private-sector support needed to help former Armed Forces personnel access the up to 400,000 additional clean energy jobs expected by the end of the decade.
Those jobs are expected to span a wide range of occupations, from plumbers installing heat pumps to offshore wind engineers and workers supporting Britain’s nuclear sector.
Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey, himself a former Royal Air Force officer, said employers could benefit enormously from recognising the skills developed through military service.
Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea described reaching the 500-recruit milestone as a major achievement and said former service personnel bring operational discipline, resilience, teamwork and leadership to the company.
The initiative sits alongside Centrica’s wider investment in skills. The company announced earlier this year that it would recruit 500 new apprentices during 2026, providing training in technologies including heat pumps, electric vehicle chargers, solar panels and battery storage.
McCluskey welcomed the company’s commitment, saying:
“With up to 400,000 new clean energy jobs expected by the end of the decade, I’m delighted to see Centrica supporting veterans and their families take their next step into rewarding careers.”
The milestone reflects Labour’s wider ambition to ensure the transition to cleaner energy creates secure, skilled jobs across Britain while opening new career opportunities to people whose experience and abilities can help deliver the country’s future energy infrastructure.
