Net zero transition could create 230,000 construction jobs by 2030, says CCC

Construction could be one of the main beneficiaries of job creation resulting from the net zero transition, according to a report from the Climate Change Committee. 

Between 120,000 and 230,000 jobs could be created in the sector by 2030, the group has claimed, which would represent a workforce increase of up to 11%. 

Attracting enough new workers and upskilling and retraining and retraining existing ones to fill these roles “at the pace required could pose a challenge”, the Climate Change Committe (CCC) said. 

The claim was made within a CCC briefing which outlined the evidence of the potential impacts of net zero for the workforce. 

It will inform the government’s net zero and nature workforce action plan, due in early 2024. 

Building construction and retrofit, infrastructure construction and the construction of industrial facilities were all listed among areas of the economy expected to grow due to net zero. 

The CCC claimed that a fifth of workers across the economy would have a “core role to play” in delivering net zero, with two-thirds of these in “sectors that may grow as a result of the transition”, such as building construction and retrofit and electric battery manufacturing. 

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“Sectors that are expected to see the largest growth in employment, such as buildings construction and retrofit, transport, and low-carbon energy supply, are also the sectors that will see some of the fastest transitions, driven by the need to roll out low-carbon technology at pace,” the report explained. 

It noted that in fragmented industries such as construction, which is predominantly comprised of small and medium sized enterprises, the transition is “likely to require coordination”. 

“The development of a skilled workforce in buildings construction and retrofit is pressing given the pace of decarbonisation needed in the sector,” it said. 

The report also suggested that “with targeted support” the net zero transition could offer an opportunity to increase the representation of women and ethnic minorities in construction. 

According to ONS figures, green jobs represent less than 1% of all employment in the UK. Of that, construction has the second highest share (4%) after the energy sector (11%). 

To inform the brief, the CCC convened an expert advisory group on workers and skills, which included Julia Barrett, chief sustainability officer at Willmott Dixon.