Driven by global efforts to reduce emissions and make the planet cleaner and greener for generations to come, combined with an ambitious government mission to become a clean energy superpower, the UK is amidst an energy revolution.  

With the announcement of the government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan and excitement around a predicted clean energy jobs boom, the country is poised to create hundreds of thousands of new roles across renewable and low-carbon sectors by 2030. For organisations operating in this space, the challenge is clear: sourcing the skilled talent needed to deliver on these bold ambitions. 

A national strategy for clean energy employment 

In October 2025, the UK government unveiled its first-ever national workforce plan for clean energy.  

The Clean Energy Jobs Plan outlines how the UK will support the transition to homegrown renewable and clean energy by not only investing in technology and infrastructure, but in people too, pledging to create 860,000 clean energy jobs by 2030, up from around 430,000 in 2025. This investment, the UK’s largest ever to date, is part of a £50 billion boost to the UK’s clean and renewable energy sector that has been in effect since July 2024.  

The government state that this plan isn’t simply about creating jobs; it is about creating good, high-quality, progressive careers for people across the country too. The roles the sector demand should offer great earning potential, strong career prospects, and provide opportunities for all. A key objective is to ensure communities around the UK can benefit from the clean energy transition, not only through cleaner, greener energy, but also through increased employment.  

Priority roles and skills in demand 

As part of these ambitious plans, 31 priority roles have been identified as critical to delivering clean energy infrastructure and ensuring the country is ready to embrace, and benefit from, the green revolution. These include: 

  • Electricians 

  • Welders 

  • Engineers 

  • Technicians 

  • Project managers 

  • Carbon capture specialists 

  • Wind turbine maintenance crews 

These roles span across technologies such as offshore wind, nuclear, carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS), hydrogen, and energy efficiency retrofit. 

In addition to the technical skills required for such roles, there is growing demand for digital capabilities, data analysis, and project delivery expertise, especially as clean energy projects become more complex and integrated with smart grid and AI technologies. 

Futureproofing the clean and renewable energy workforce 

To meet this demand, the government is launching five new Technical Excellence Colleges focused on clean energy skills, aiming to ensure two-thirds of young people are in higher-level learning by 2030. The Office for Clean Energy Jobs has also been established to coordinate efforts across industry, education, and trade unions, ensuring that training aligns with real-world needs. 

But beyond government initiatives, there is a wider need for organisations across the energy sector to engage with, seek out, develop, and implement talent who can make both an instant and lasting impact on the UK’s green future.  

The scale of the transition is immense. An estimated 3 million workers will require some form of reskilling, and 1 in 5 jobs are expected to experience a shift in skill demand due to the net zero transition. As a result, the sector and its organisations will need to create ways of finding and hiring talent for roles, and nurturing the highly skilled, highly experienced existing workforce. 

Why Recruitment Expertise Matters 

As the clean energy sector expands, recruitment strategies must evolve. Traditional hiring methods are no longer sufficient to meet the pace and specificity of demand. That’s where Carbon60’s renewable energy recruitment specialists come in. 

With deep sector knowledge and a national network of skilled professionals, Carbon60 is uniquely positioned to: 

  • Identify and attract top talent across priority roles 

  • Support workforce transition from high-carbon to low-carbon sectors 

  • Advise on regional hiring strategies aligned with project pipelines 

  • Deliver scalable recruitment solutions for large infrastructure programmes 

  • Partner with training providers to ensure job readiness 

Our consultants understand the nuances of clean energy roles, from the regulatory requirements of nuclear projects to the safety standards of offshore wind installations. We work closely with employers to build resilient, future-ready teams that can deliver on the UK’s clean energy mission. 

Navigating a critical moment in the UK’s green future 

The UK’s clean energy boom is more than an economic opportunity, it’s a national imperative. With hundreds of thousands of new jobs on the horizon, the success of this transition hinges on the ability to recruit, train, and retain the right talent. 

Carbon60 stands ready to support this mission. As specialists in clean energy recruitment, we are committed to helping organisations navigate the talent landscape, build high-performing teams, and power the UK’s clean energy future.