City of London report calls for green skills training

The City of London is calling for green skills training to support the decarbonisation of commercial buildings.

A new report released by the City of London Corporation urged investment in skilling and preparing tomorrow’s green workforce.

The report came about due to the need to decarbonise the UK capital’s commercial buildings.

As such, it identifies a rapidly escalating shortfall in professionals trained in retrofitting and sustainable building management.

Not counting construction roles, there is currently an annual demand for 35,000 professionals in the built environment sector alone.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), there could be a need for a 250,000-strong green workforce to support development in the city by 2027.

As a result of these numbers, more than 300 organisations have joined the Skills for Sustainable Skyline Taskforce.

The taskforce aims to develop policies that can help plug the green skills gap.

It features designers, construction firms, and education providers.

The report itself makes several recommendations and points, including reforming the Apprenticeship Levy and s106 policies, which are perceived as obstacles to intake and recruitment. Many in the industry consider them ‘inflexible’ and ‘inconsistent’.

Shravan Joshi, Chairman of the City of London Corporation Planning and Transport Committee made a call for industry representatives to join the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce.

‘The built environment is critical in supporting central London’s transition to a more sustainable economy. Buildings have substantial carbon footprints, so reducing emissions in the sector will be pivotal for addressing climate change,’ he continued. ‘Ensuring technical education, such as through apprenticeships, offers a range of flexible training routes towards new jobs, which will be essential to delivering on sustainability ambitions.’

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