By Abdullahi Lukman
The UK government has announced a national plan to create 400,000 new green jobs over the next five years, with trades such as plumbing, electrical work, and welding identified as top priorities.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband unveiled the strategy, which aims to double employment in green industries by 2030.
The plan focuses on retraining workers from fossil fuel sectors, alongside school leavers, veterans, ex-offenders, and the unemployed.
Under the initiative, 31 skilled professions will be marked for recruitment and training. Among these, plumbers and heating installers are in highest demand, with up to 10,000 new workers needed by 2030.
Electricians, welders, and carpenters also feature prominently, with a need for 4,000 to 8,500 more professionals in each field.
The plan includes requirements for companies receiving public contracts to offer quality employment, support union recognition, and promote collective bargaining — even in offshore clean energy roles.
Trade unions including Unite and GMB have welcomed the plan. Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said the jobs must be secure and well-paid, while GMB described the announcement as a long-awaited step toward a “jobs-first transition.”
To support the rollout, five new technical excellence colleges will be established.
Pilot projects in Cheshire, Lincolnshire, and Pembrokeshire will receive £2.5 million for training facilities, new courses, and career advice.
A separate programme will help veterans move into roles such as solar panel installation and work in wind and nuclear sectors.
Similar tailored schemes will assist other underrepresented groups.
Government data suggests at least 13,700 unemployed individuals already possess many of the skills required for green industry jobs.
Miliband positioned the plan as a direct response to political opposition from Reform UK, accusing the party of “waging war on jobs” by challenging the country’s net-zero goals.
He emphasized that green industries offer high pay, with average salaries above £50,000 — significantly higher than the UK average — and provide opportunities across coastal and post-industrial areas.
“This plan answers a key question about where the good jobs of the future will come from,” Miliband said.