A joint letter from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Scottish Government to David Whitehouse, Chief Executive of Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) and Dan McGrail, Chief Executive of Renewable UK has announced that the department will be coming onboard to assist with the industry-led Energy Skills Passport project.
The letter says: ‘The initial funding of £3.7 million provided by the Scottish Government to OPITO over 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 helped kickstart this work to bring together key stakeholders across oil and gas and offshore wind sectors…Since the inception of this project, the Department has recognised the value of a skills passport in benefiting workers and protecting local communities during the transition. We believe that this is an important step in addressing the wider issues raised by a Just Transition. We see this solution as a key project and right step on our path to providing equal and fair treatment for all workers and communities during our transition to a Net Zero society.’
In response, Sonya Bedford MBE, Energy & Natural Resources Partner at Spencer West LLP says: ‘News that the Government is speeding up the delivery of a “skills passport” to support oil and gas workers to move into jobs in renewables is whole heartedly welcome. It is entirely necessary. We find ourselves today with a shortage of a skilled home-grown workforce in this area and are unable to currently deal with the ambitious net zero targets that have been set. We need to upskill as many workers as possible and as quickly as feasible if we are to meet our commitments to the roll out of heat networks and heat pumps as well as renewables.’