UK Offshore Wind Developers Face Higher Bills to Fund Workforce Training and Local Development Initiatives

Image: Patrick Harrison for Orsted

The UK Government is introducing new minimum requirements that will determine how much offshore wind developers must invest in skills training for local communities. Trade unions have long called for such a measure, and now the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has pledged to deliver it through a new Fair Work Charter for the country’s rapidly expanding offshore wind sector.

By 2030, the industry is expected to employ up to 100,000 people. Of these, 45,000 will be directly employed while the rest will be part of supply chains supporting offshore wind.

The Fair Work Charter, developed in partnership with unions, businesses, and education providers, establishes mandatory investment levels for training and community development. Developers will have two main options. They can contribute to a collective skills fund or offer direct training and upskilling opportunities for workers in their local area. These opportunities might be delivered through partnerships with local colleges and universities, or within new company training centres.

The benefits are designed to reach both new entrants and experienced workers. Young people could gain access through apprenticeships or internships, while existing workers could be retrained as they move from the oil and gas sector into offshore wind. For those making such a transition, the UK and Scottish Governments have already piloted “skills passports” to help oil and gas workers carry their expertise into clean energy roles. Offshore Energies UK estimates that nine out of ten workers in the oil and gas sector already possess skills that align with those required for renewable energy jobs.

Alongside training, the Charter also emphasises pay and working conditions. Developers and their UK-based suppliers are being urged to make sure their roles are secure and of high quality. According to analysis from CBI Economics, the average full-time worker in the green economy earned £43,100 in 2024. That is more than £6,000 above the national average. Offshore wind technicians, in particular, can earn over £10,000 more than the average UK worker.

Prospect’s senior deputy general secretary, Sue Ferns, said: “Transitioning to a clean energy future will mean tens of thousands of new jobs being created across the UK, and it is welcome to see a clear commitment from the government that these should be good quality, unionised jobs.

“Training the clean energy workforce of tomorrow is one of the biggest challenges we face, and it is only fair that renewables developers that rely on this labour contribute to skills programmes.”

Unions, including Unison, Prospect, and the RMT, have played a significant role in shaping the Charter. Sue Ferns, Prospect’s senior deputy general secretary, welcomed the development, noting that the transition to clean energy would create tens of thousands of new jobs across the country. She stressed the importance of ensuring these roles are unionised and well-paid. The Charter is expected to be followed later this year by a Clean Energy Workforce Strategy from the UK Government. This strategy will address the broader energy sector, covering not only employment standards but also education and training pathways.

The Charter also has financial implications through its connection with the Contracts for Difference scheme, which is the UK’s primary mechanism for investing in renewable energy. The Department is currently consulting on changes to the scheme’s Clean Industry Bonus, which provides additional funding to offshore wind developers that invest in new factories or sustainable supply chains in economically disadvantaged regions.

Public consultation on these changes is open until 10 October 2025. Stakeholders are being asked which types of investment should qualify for the bonus in future rounds. There are also plans to extend the incentive to onshore wind developers.

In the ongoing AR7 auction round, £544 million of Clean Industry Bonus funding is available to developers. Bids have already been submitted, with successful projects expected to be announced in November 2025. Any changes resulting from the consultation will apply to AR8, which is scheduled for next year.