IOM3 responds to Select Committee on Energy Security and Net Zero
The inquiry will investigate the challenges in delivering the UK's clean energy and retrofitting missions.
The Select Committee on Energy Security and Net Zero launched an inquiry on workforce planning to deliver the UK’s clean energy and retrofitting missions. The inquiry seeks to understand the challenges these missions face regarding green skills, including recruiting and retraining workers.
IOM3 submitted a response to the call for input, drawing on the experience and knowledge of our members across a wide range of industries. The submission was informed by IOM3 Strategic Advisors and our Technical Communities, who provide a valuable avenue for connecting members’ expertise to national policy discussions.
The IOM3 response outlined the role of materials, minerals and mining in delivering clean energy and retrofitting targets. It highlighted that green technologies rely on the entire materials cycle, from exploration, extraction and processing to manufacture and end-of-life management. As such, the government must expand its scope to encompass the full supply chain when considering the workforce required to deliver clean, secure energy.
The submission explained that severe skills shortages in areas such as composites, elastomers, surface technologies, wood technologies, metallurgy and mining all pose a major risk to the government’s ambitions. These gaps are likely to widen in the coming years as the number of new entrants in many industries is insufficient to meet the growing demand associated with the green transition. To tackle these challenges, IOM3 recommended raising public awareness of the role of minerals and materials in the green transition and accelerating investment in training and education in these sectors.
To promote private investment in green skills across the materials cycle, IOM3 highlighted the need for the government to send clear and consistent market signals to investors. In line with this, developing a UK Materials Strategy was identified as an essential step to creating a predictable and secure green economy that attracts investment in skills.
Finally, the submission stressed the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in workforce planning for the green transition. Ensuring that professionals from all backgrounds are allowed to enter and progress within materials, minerals and mining industries is vital to overcoming green skills shortages. IOM3 recommended that the government proactively supports EDI in the green economy, particularly in encouraging diverse new entrants in the mining and materials sectors.
Read the full IOM3 submission:
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