Thousands of new clean energy jobs are set to be created across Wales by 2030, as part of the UK government’s drive to make the country a “clean energy superpower.”
Under a new national plan unveiled today by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, Wales is expected to see up to 20,000 clean energy jobs within the next five years — an increase of around 15,000 compared with 2023.
The plan forms part of the UK’s broader clean energy mission, which aims to double clean energy employment nationwide to 860,000 jobs by 2030.
National skills plan and regional investment
For the first time, the government has published a comprehensive workforce strategy to recruit and train the next generation of energy workers, targeting 31 priority occupations — including electricians, welders, plumbers, and engineers.
A £2.5 million skills pilot will launch in Pembrokeshire, alongside similar initiatives in Cheshire and Lincolnshire, to fund new training centres, courses, and career guidance for local communities.
Wales’s largest employment growth is expected in carbon capture and offshore wind, with strong demand also forecast for skilled trades and engineering roles.
“No need to leave your hometown for a good job”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“Wales is essential to the clean energy revolution that this government is delivering. Communities across Wales have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call - and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen.
Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.
This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union, agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs”.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“Wales’s growing clean energy industry is delivering the well-paid, highly-skilled jobs of the future.
Projects right across the country from Pembrokeshire to Flintshire are creating opportunities for hundreds of our young people and will help drive regional growth as well as accelerating our drive towards lower bills and energy security”.
Welsh Government Minister for Skills, Jack Sargeant, said:
“Our ambition is to ensure today’s young people will have the skills needed to work the jobs of tomorrow, helping us embed the industries and services of the future in our communities.
With decades of industrial expertise Wales is primed to capitalise on the generational opportunity that is the UK’s clean energy revolution. The plan announced today will complement our Net Zero Skills Action Plan and support our journey to a cleaner, more prosperous Wales”.
Growing sector, higher wages
The government says its clean energy mission has already sparked more than £50 billion in private investment since July 2024.
Major projects include the HyNet CCUS scheme, which will support 2,800 jobs across North Wales, Cheshire and Flintshire, and the Mona Offshore Wind Farm, expected to create 3,500 jobs over its lifetime.
Entry-level roles in the clean energy industry pay on average 23% more than equivalent jobs in other sectors, with many positions offering salaries above £50,000, compared with the UK average of £37,000.
Supporting workers and unions
The plan also includes measures to strengthen pay and protections across the sector, extending employment rights and the national minimum wage to offshore clean energy workers.
A new Fair Work Charter will be introduced to ensure developers benefiting from public funding provide fair wages and strong workplace rights.
Trade unions, Miliband said, are “an essential part of the modern workplace and economy,” with recognition crucial to maintaining good pay and conditions.
Training the workforce of the future
New initiatives include:
- Five Technical Excellence Colleges to train young people for clean energy roles.
- A veterans transition programme with *Mission Renewable* to match ex-military personnel with roles in solar, wind, and nuclear industries.
- Tailored support for ex-offenders, school leavers, and unemployed workers to access clean energy careers.
- An expanded Energy Skills Passport to help oil and gas workers retrain for offshore wind, nuclear, and electricity network jobs.
The government says the clean energy jobs boom will help secure the UK’s long-term energy independence while offering stable, well-paid careers for the next generation — especially in post-industrial and coastal Welsh communities. Photo by Renewable Energy by Anne Burgess, Wikimedia commons.