To reach the solar capacity targeted in the government’s clean power and net zero plans, deployment will have to rapidly scale up and, with it, the workforce.
These were takeaways from Solar Energy UK’s inaugural careers hub event, launched in London last week (5 March). Solar Power Portal attended the event, which Solar Energy UK senior communications manager Gareth Simkins said was such a success that “people were quite literally queueing up to enter”.
The green skills gap is well documented, and answering the issue is a complex task that Solar Energy UK has taken on with a new initiative, Solar Careers UK. The initiative focuses on developing industry skills and career pathways through training curriculum and resources.
Solar Careers UK provides information and guidance on what skills and competence will be required and how to attain it. Head of the programme Sturge Mazzocchi described it as “dedicated to helping people join our workforce of the future and pursue fulfilling new careers in the solar industry”.
At the hub, member companies of the trade association showcased available training courses and advertised job openings, which could be filled in dedicated hiring rooms onsite.
In its election campaign, the current government pledged to get the UK to 70GW installed solar capacity by 2035; its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan projects that achieving a clean power system by 2030 will need between 45GW-47GW solar capacity.
This will be met through residential rooftop PV, PV systems on commercial and industrial sites and large-scale solar plants. Under the solar sector umbrella, the manpower needed to make this happen is of a daunting scale.
Speaking at Solar Media’s Solar Finance & Investment Europe earlier this year, Tracey Elliot, head of people at rooftop solar firm Eden Sustainable Group said: “The government are really pushing us as an industry to work on this problem ourselves”.
Awareness at every age
The range of job roles available in the solar sector was made apparent by the varying approaches of exhibitors at the hub, where attendees could learn about technical competencies, such as solar panel installation and system maintenance and design, alongside essential skills like project management and understanding renewable energy regulations.
There are job openings at every level, meaning that several approaches to filling the green skills gap can be taken. From the earliest possible time, though, awareness of the opportunity that the industry presents must be raised.
Solar for Schools supports the installation of solar PV systems on school roofs to reduce running costs and improve sustainability, and offers educational workshops, assemblies, and a library of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)-related resources covering energy, efficiency, sustainability and economics.
The group’s STEM learning kit was available at the Solar Careers UK hub, and attendees had opportunities to hear from sales and marketing team members as well as the more technical roles typically associated with the energy industry.
A solar success story
Beyond a better understanding of the types of roles available across the solar industry, talks throughout the day outlined for attendees the educational pathways and qualifications needed pursue various solar careers—and an overview of why that work is worth it.
The rapid growth of the industry makes available job roles at all levels, for re- or upskilled staff as well. While the green skills gap is opening up, the closing down of North Sea oil and gas activity will free up already skilled workers.
Acknowledging this, the UK government has launched a ‘skills passport’ enabling oil and gas industry workers to use an online portal to assess means to transition their careers into the renewable energy sector.
One of the talks delivered on the day was from Claire Gardener on her “squiggly career”, that ultimately lead her to a role as marketing manager for manufacturer Solis.
Wrapping up “London’s most interactive job fair”, hands-on demos and live installations showcased what a day’s work might look like on the engineering side of the sector.
Mazzocchi commented that the inaugural event had a “meaningful, significant impact”.
“The demand and interest in the solar sector were abundantly clear to see, with visitors expressing a strong desire to join the industry,” he added.
