UK recruitment agency Reed tackles green retrofitting skills gap with new training venture

Keeping buildings heated contributes over a fifth of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. It doesn't help that the country has Europe's oldest and most inefficient housing stock. To reach a national Net Zero target by 2050, gas boilers need to be phased out, and installation of heat pumps accelerated. That, in turn, requires qualified workers.

Reed, one of Britain's largest recruitment specialists, has just launched Reed Environment to bridge the green skills gap. Research by the firm determined that "the current rates of retrofit recruitment must triple if the country is to meet its 2050 Net Zero target. If these rates don't increase, then the UK won't achieve its target number of energy efficient installations to meet its Net Zero goal until 2105."

Reed Environment plans to counter that delay by introducing over 1,000 new retrofitting professionals annually, marking a 94% increase over current recruitment levels. The move could speed up the eco-renovation revolution essential for the UK's environmental objectives while simultaneously creating significant economic opportunities; the sector has considerable potential to create local jobs in economically marginalized areas where the energy efficiency of homes is notably lacking. PWC has calculated that each 'green' retrofit job could result in 1.7 to 5.3 additional jobs.