A groundbreaking £800,000 initiative to create a ‘single source of truth’ for electrification skills is nearing its first major milestone. The Electrification Skills Network (ESN), funded by UK Research and Innovation and delivered by Coventry University, is set to launch the UK’s first-ever Framework for a sector poised to generate over 100,000 jobs by 2025.
The project has engaged more than 100 partners, including academic institutions, training providers, accrediting bodies, and major employers such as Aston Martin and Bentley. This collaborative effort has fueled the development of an interactive website housing the Framework, which will outline common skills for job roles and high-quality electrification training.
“Industries, such as battery manufacturing, vehicle electrification and energy infrastructure, are accelerating at pace and demand for people and skills is outstripping supply,” said Deepak Farmah, Director of ERS Hub and C-ALPS at Coventry University. “What we are trying to do with ESN is create a comprehensive electrification skills reference point to support the sector’s growth. It will be completely neutral and the Framework we will shortly be launching will help standardise qualifications and accreditations and create agreed pathways that people can follow to secure employment.”
The Framework, supported by organizations like Warwick Manufacturing Group and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, will feature multiple listings categorized by roles and sectors. Each listing represents a Common Set of Skills validated by key stakeholders.
“We’re reaching the first major milestone with the launch of the Framework scheduled for Autumn,” said Paul Whiteside, ESN Head of Programme. “ESN’s focus is to build a strong, resilient and agile workforce for today, alongside a pipeline of talent and capability to support electrification skills provision going forward.”
