Attracting the next generation: Building the installer pipeline for net zero 2050
Harry Budd, Digital Marketing Director for Logic4training, explores how the renewables sector can attract new entrants at pace, and why investing in flexible training routes now makes long-term business sense.
Thanks to ambitious new-build targets and a nationwide retrofit imperative, the scale of work for renewables installers will expand significantly in the coming decade. For small businesses operating in solar PV, battery storage and heat pumps, the real challenge is building the workforce needed to keep up with demand.
Renewables and retrofit demand: The scale of the challenge
In 2025, the UK saw one of its busiest years on record for small-scale renewables, with roughly 369,000 certified installs of solar PV, battery storage and heat pumps. These figures reflect healthy market demand for low-carbon technologies, underpinned by government policy – we have still a long way to go, however.
According to the UK Green Building Council around 19 million homes need upgrading to at least an EPC C by 2030, and nearly 29 million properties will require retrofit measures by 2050. In the short term, the recently announced Warm Homes Plan promises funding for clean heating, solar, battery storage and insulation for five million houses over the next five years.
Alongside addressing existing properties, new-build targets stand at 300,000 a year, with low-carbon technologies and high levels of energy efficiency key features under the forthcoming Future Homes Standard.
A growing skills gap in renewables
Decarbonising the UK’s housing stock is a mammoth task. Policy is clearly pulling in the right direction, but the skills pipeline needs to grow fast to meet this opportunity. Analysis on workforce needs across the entire net zero economy suggests the UK will require hundreds of thousands of additional workers in clean-energy roles by 2030 and beyond if it is to remain on track for net zero by 2050.
Yet despite renewables being one of the fastest growing sectors, at present, there are nowhere near enough installers to meet demand. The heat pump market requires tens of thousands more qualified installers every year throughout the rest of the decade, to get anywhere near to the headline target of 450,000 installations per year by 2030 (downgraded from 600,000 following the Warm Homes Plan announcement). Recent industry analysis estimates that the UK currently has only 4,000 – 10,000 trained installers, with around 2,000 working full time. To meet current short-term ambitions, an estimated 33,700 full-time heat pump installers are needed, rising significantly to 70,000 by 2035.
And with the ‘Electrification of Heat, solar photovoltaics and electric vehicle popularity growing year on year (with or without government funding support), plus Air-to-Air heat pumps and battery storage part of the Warm Homes Plan, it’s clear that skilled installers are required in all areas of building services.
For renewables businesses who act early to secure and train the next generation of installers, this situation presents an exciting opportunity.
AI and the changing career mindset
Meanwhile, the broader labour market trends are reshaping how people think about careers. As perceptions of job security in many traditional roles are fundamentally altered by automation, the trades are increasingly seen as an AI-resilient option. For young people evaluating career choices in 2026, the message that work in the trades can’t be replicated by algorithms is a powerful one.
Businesses that can clearly communicate the opportunities of entering the low-carbon workforce – a rapidly growing sector offering job security and progression with real-world impact – will be strongly positioned to attract the next generation of installers.
The threat of ‘AI taking jobs and the rising cost of university, mean that the potential talent pool is looking healthier than ever, of both career starters and career changers. Demand for apprenticeships is soaring, while university places suffer; savvy employers in the trades should therefore take advantage of the opportunity.
Just last October, the Government published the first ever national plan to recruit the workers needed for its clean energy mission, which overall will create 400,000 extra jobs by 2030. Plumbers and electricians are cited amongst 31 priority occupations, and it is hoped that a generation of young people will benefit from the career prospects and high wages that a booming clean energy market could bring.
Apprenticeships and beyond
Apprenticeships are a valuable recruitment tool, especially for school leavers and younger entrants. But they are not always the best fit for some SMEs that need people contributing sooner, or for older career changers. While apprentices do get paid, it’s at a much lower level than a fully qualified installer.
This is where alternative training pathways can make a real difference – such as modular electrical training that builds core experience and essential qualifications while trainees remain on the payroll. This approach enables employers to tailor training to suit their business needs, delivering a quicker return on investment, with staff becoming productive sooner.
Electrical competence is the gateway for the majority of renewables work, whether installing solar PV, batteries or heat pumps, a solid grounding in electrical principles and safety underpins it all. Updated prerequisite requirements now mean installers must demonstrate appropriate electrical competence – i.e. be qualified electricians before they upskill, helping businesses maintain compliance and improve quality.
Forward thinking employers who factor in electrical training as a first step into their workforce strategy – followed by targeted renewables upskilling – set out a practical pathway that aligns with current standards and real-world workloads. Investing in staff with electrical foundations first means businesses can create a pipeline of competent installers, who can then step into renewables-specific qualifications and roles.
Turn training into a retention strategy
For SMEs looking to future-proof their business, a few practical steps can make a real difference:
● Audit your current and future skills needs across heat pumps, PV and battery storage
● Recruit for potential, not just experience, and plan training from day one
● Offer flexible learning solutions; blend apprenticeships with short courses or modular training routes to suit different candidates and widen the talent pool
● Communicate clear progression pathways, showing how trainees can move from electrical competence into renewables specialisms
● Partner with training providers that align training delivery with business needs, reducing recruitment cycles and improving readiness.
Net zero is the long-term goal, but the installer bottleneck is the present-day issue. The businesses that act now – by investing in people, diversifying their business through flexible training for existing staff, new entrants and the next generation – will be set for success in the low carbon economy.
