Net Zero Skills
OUR AIM: To grow a skilled workforce that will support our net zero challenge.
Do you want to know more about what Wales is doing to support the skills needs as we transition to our Net Zero future?
Our first milestone was to launch our Net Zero Skills Action Plan. This sets out Wales’s current position and how skills will be a key enabler for delivering net zero.
It contains 36 actions over 7 Priorities, aimed at helping identify and deliver the right skills now and in the future to support our net zero journey.
https://www.gov.wales/net-zero-skills-action-plan
What do net zero skills mean for your business?
The demand for net zero skills is continuing to grow across Wales. Our economy is changing, and we will all have to adapt the way we work to meet these growing skills requirements.
We want to help you understand the benefits and impacts of investing in training, qualifications and skills for your workforce. This will help build your business and be ready for the changes in economy. These changes include advancements in technology, new practices as well as running your business more economically and with a greater focus on sustainability. Some of the ways this can help your business include:
Reduced energy costs and longer-term efficiencies- Increased chance of winning new business
- Innovative products and services
- Increased likelihood of securing investment and new contracts
- Become more efficient and improve business resilience
- Improve brand image and build customers trust and loyalty
- Set best practice standards for other to follow
- Meet standards and regulations
- Develop a more diverse and agile workforce
We want to work with you to help you understand the options and choices you can make now that will have an impact on the future.
So why look to invest in skills?
We want to help and support you to grow and train your workforce. Growing net zero skills within a business may not be your immediate priority. You may struggle to release staff to attend courses, due to a number of things including workloads or staff shortages. Many of our training programmes and upskilling routes are already supporting skills sets that industry and businesses are calling for.
What are the options available to you now?
If you are looking to expand your workforce, there are many options and routes available.
Help and support to train and recruit through our existing programmes and the opportunities provided by disabled people’s employment is available through the Welsh Government's Employability & Skills options;
Future-proof your business and gain fresh perspectives by taking on a young person.
Upskill your workforce in digital, exporting, engineering and manufacturing, creative sector and tourism and hospitality
Spotlight on Success Stories in Wales
More and more Businesses are taking pro-active steps towards improving their sustainability, demonstrating their positive impact on the people and places around them. These are a growing community of forward-thinking organisations who are helping Wales transition to a low carbon future and who are seeing the benefits in equipping their workforce with the right skills.
We have developed a range of short case studies, highlighting just some of the changes employers are making now and how that is impacting on both their business practices but also in growing a skilled workforce to meet the future challenges.
https://www.gov.wales/net-zero-skills-case-studies
We hope these examples will help provide you with a fresh look at the possibilities and help you make the decision to invest in skills.
Want to get involved in the conversation and shape the future skills?
We would like to further understand your barriers and challenges in upskilling your staff to help meet the net zero commitments in 2030.
During the development of the plan we have engaged extensively with stakeholders who are all passionate about providing the right skills and opportunities that support our net zero commitment in addition to helping Wales grow and prosper.
We will continue that approach so that we all fully understand the needs of businesses, the future and the skills that are needed.
An action within the plan is to create a more flexible, responsive, and agile skills system in Wales. We cannot do this alone, there are many areas that need to come together to make this happen and that includes input from you as an employer.
If you would like to get involved there are a number of options and organisations that you can reach out to:
- Regional skills partnerships
- Employer representative bodies
- Trade unions
- Your local College network
In addition, if you would like to get in touch with us directly, email: NetZeroSkills@gov.wales
Where can you go for Help and Support?
There are various options on the Business Wales - Recruit and Train website to access help and support. Find out more at We're in your corner