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UK could create 1.2m green manufacturing and construction jobs

11 October, 2021

Around 1.2 million green jobs could be created in the UK’s manufacturing and construction sectors by 2050 – but only if the Government provides the right help, such as introducing a green skills tax credit to encourage manufacturers to upskill more of their staff – according to a new report from the manufacturers’ body, Make UK, and the business management specialist, Sage.

The report, Unlocking the Skills Needed for a Digital and Green Future, also suggests that digitally-enabled energy efficiency could be saving UK businesses £6bn by 2030. It argues that British manufacturers are leading the charge towards net-zero by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, and moving to renewable and sustainable energy sources.

The report is based on a survey of UK manufacturers which reveals that:
• 98% of manufacturers are aware of the Government’s net-zero target, with 92% saying this is achievable in their own businesses by 2050;
• 77% plan to set their own net-zero targets within two years;
• 62% say their workers have the green skills needed, but a third are experiencing a skills gap; and
• 70% of businesses have invested in training for their employees in the past year to improve their digital application knowledge.

According to the report, UK manufacturers are training their staff in the latest technologies – including smart monitoring, remote sensing, data analytics and clean production – to give them the right skills for digital and green initiatives.

The Make UK / Sage report suggests that digitally-enabled energy efficiency could save UK businesses £6bn by 2030.

“Britain’s manufacturers have long shown that they are at the forefront of innovation globally and they have already gone a long way to improve their processes and production in the quest to reach net-zero,” comments Make UK CEO, Stephen Phipson. “But in order that they continue at speed, business needs Government to play its part in driving the process forward.

“To that end, Government needs to prioritise educational resources to make sure there is an increased provision of training at the higher skill levels of degree standard or above level 5,” he adds “This will help to make sure industry has the skills it needs to take advantage of the opportunities in the digital and green economy. They should look to implement a green skills tax credit to encourage manufacturers to train their employees in the latest green skills and introduce a Help to Grow Green programme for managers and leaders to train them in the latest sustainable manufacturing processes and procedures.”

Make UK:  Twitter  LinkedIn




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