The UK government has unveiled a new Fair Work Charter aimed at ensuring that the burgeoning offshore wind industry delivers tangible benefits to local communities, particularly in coastal areas and industrial heartlands. The charter mandates that offshore wind developers either contribute to a skills fund or invest a minimum amount in skills training for local communities. This initiative is designed to support oil and gas workers, apprentices, and school leavers in transitioning to the growing offshore wind sector.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the charter’s role in fostering secure, unionized jobs across the country. “Britain’s clean energy future will be powered by secure, unionised jobs for local people right across the country – from East Anglia to Teesside and Aberdeen,” Miliband stated. “We’re backing businesses that invest in working people in these communities, securing a route to long-term careers for oil and gas workers, apprentices and school leavers.”
The offshore wind sector is poised to play a pivotal role in the UK’s clean energy transition. By 2030, it is estimated to support up to 100,000 jobs, many of which will be located outside of London in coastal and rural areas. Industry estimates suggest that a typical offshore wind worker earns £10,000 more than the UK average salary. Furthermore, 90% of the UK’s oil and gas workforce possesses skills that are transferable to offshore renewables, making this sector a natural transition point for many workers.
The Fair Work Charter aims to enhance upskilling opportunities within the offshore wind industry. Skills training could be provided through various means, including education schemes, training facilities, new equipment, work experience, and internships. This initiative is expected to create new opportunities for working people and unlock growth across Britain. The charter also encourages offshore wind developers and supply chain firms to create high-quality, secure jobs with better access to trade unions and stronger protections on pay and terms and conditions.
Christina McAnea, General Secretary at UNISON, highlighted the potential benefits of the initiative. “This initiative offers a chance to boost skills across the energy sector, create and protect well-paid jobs, and support the renewal of coastal communities and industrial regions,” McAnea stated. “Working together under a Fair Work Charter, unions, government and businesses can deliver growth and stronger protection for workers.”
The Fair Work Charter is part of a broader strategy to develop a stable, long-term workforce for the clean energy sector. The UK’s first-ever Clean Energy Workforce Strategy will ensure that clean energy jobs are not only widely available but also high-quality. However, there have been calls for more consistency around workplace standards and trade union access to support these roles.
Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect, underscored the importance of training the clean energy workforce of tomorrow. “Training the clean energy workforce of tomorrow is one of the biggest challenges we face, and it is only fair that renewables developers that rely on this labour contribute to skills programmes,” Ferns said. The measures proposed would ensure that offshore wind developers deliver for the workforce by encouraging them to work in partnership with trade unions to develop stable, long-term jobs.
The measures will be introduced through the Clean Industry Bonus, which provides offshore wind developers with funding on the condition that they build new factories in deprived regions or invest in more sustainable supply chains to drive economic growth.
Additionally, the consultation will seek views on introducing onshore wind into the Clean Industry Bonus to help turbocharge its deployment in the UK. This follows the government’s launch of the first-ever onshore wind strategy earlier this year, which aims to support up to 45,000 jobs in Great Britain by 2030.
The Fair Work Charter and the broader Clean Energy Workforce Strategy signal a significant shift in the UK’s approach to the clean energy transition. By prioritizing local communities, skilled job creation, and workforce stability, the government aims to ensure that the benefits of the offshore wind industry are widely shared. This initiative could set a precedent for other sectors, encouraging a more inclusive and equitable approach to economic development.