There are plenty of electrical contracting businesses out there – and young learners desperate to get a placement. NICEIC is bringing the jobs and talent together.
NICEIC Media Team | Communications
"When we find someone with an enthusiasm to learn and the desire to be on the tools, working on-site and learning from experienced electricians, we generally know we've found someone who'll be with us for many years and go on to have a successful career in the industry," says Andy Downing, Group Operations Director at NICEIC-certified business Playfords, based in London. 'It can be an incredibly rewarding career and there are countless examples, including many at Playfords, who started as apprentices and are now in senior roles."
Playfords' commitment to apprentices is bearing fruit. But not all electrical businesses have the resources to get involved. And that's affecting the industry. Without new talent being nurtured, the skills gap will widen. This is where NICEIC is stepping in. We're actively looking for ways to support NICEICcertified businesses as they look to take on new apprentices. Because the problem isn't a lack of will, it's a lack of infrastructure. And it's affecting the industry's potential to grow.
New research commissioned by NICEIC has highlighted challenges across the electrotechnical industry to do with technical skills, recruitment and those starting a career in the industry.
What's holding employers back?
For those firms not currently hiring apprentices, the admin involved (36%) and the difficulty of recruiting apprentices (17%) were cited as significant obstacles.
Meanwhile, the research found more than half (52%) of the electrical businesses which had recruited or tried to recruit technical staff in 2024 found it to be a difficult process.
These stats, combined with existing research around the industry's skills gap, reinforce the pressing need to build a strong talent pipeline through apprenticeships and training. That will ensure the industry continues to grow and deliver the necessary transformation of UK infrastructure.
Because the existing set-up isn't doing enough to reduce labour market friction and connect talent with work. More also needs to be done to encourage fresh talent to enter the industry and to support them through apprenticeships into technical roles.
"Apprenticeships are a key part of the industry's heritage, how skills and technical knowledge have always been transferred from experienced professionals to new starters," says NICEIC Chief Executive Officer Richard Orton. "Looking forward, they'll be crucial to closing the skills gap. When a business takes on an apprentice, they're not only making an investment in their business and that person's future, but they're also helping to ensure the industry itself continues to grow."
NICEIC's new research makes it clear that firms are looking to grow, take on new projects and invest in people, Orton adds, "but the industrywide infrastructure isn't always there to facilitate that. There needs to be a collective effort to put better structures in place, that help match electrical businesses with the talent they're clearly looking for.
"NICEIC is committed to helping the industry in this area and we're actively looking for ways to support NICEIC-certified businesses as they look to take on new apprentices."
Matching demand with supply
Nearly one in three firms surveyed are looking to achieve sustainable growth over the next three years and of those, nearly half (44%) intend to take on a new apprentice in 2025. This points to a demand among electrical businesses to seize new opportunities and the recognition that one of the best ways to achieve this is by training new staff through apprenticeships. This is further evidenced by the finding that 67% of firms that did hire staff in 2024 took on at least one apprentice. Satisfaction with apprentices already employed also remains high, with employers giving their apprentices a net positive score of 3.93 out of five.
Demi Whitehead, who completed her apprenticeship and now works as an electician at NICEIC-certified business William Davis Homes, backs this up: ''I'd always suggest an apprenticeship to anyone thinking about their future. The skills I learnt set me up for my career. The thing I really enjoy about this industry is that there's always more to learn as it continues to evolve."
Likewise, Charlie Moore is now a fully qualified electrical contractor, having completed his apprenticeship in August 2023 through the College of West Anglia and his employer, Bramham Electrical Ltd in King's Lynn, Norfolk.
"I think the balance of doing one day at college and then four days on-site really suited me. It helped to put me in the right mindset for being part of the workforce," he says.
"I like that no day is the same and you're always doing something different, working in both domestic and commercial environments. Plus, the fact I was also earning while being on the programme was a real benefit."
Challenges do exist, including concerns about government funding (cited by 49% of firms) and the work-readiness of some apprentices (43%). These concerns underscore the need for initiatives such as the recently introduced T Levels but the overall feedback from employers is encouraging.
With NICEIC's efforts in this area, more learners will be able to secure a rewarding apprenticeship role and more employers will benefit by finding the right talent.
Playfords' commitment to apprentices is bearing fruit. But not all electrical businesses have the resources to get involved. And that's affecting the industry. Without new talent being nurtured, the skills gap will widen. This is where NICEIC is stepping in. We're actively looking for ways to support NICEICcertified businesses as they look to take on new apprentices. Because the problem isn't a lack of will, it's a lack of infrastructure. And it's affecting the industry's potential to grow.
New research commissioned by NICEIC has highlighted challenges across the electrotechnical industry to do with technical skills, recruitment and those starting a career in the industry.
What's holding employers back?
For those firms not currently hiring apprentices, the admin involved (36%) and the difficulty of recruiting apprentices (17%) were cited as significant obstacles.
Meanwhile, the research found more than half (52%) of the electrical businesses which had recruited or tried to recruit technical staff in 2024 found it to be a difficult process.
These stats, combined with existing research around the industry's skills gap, reinforce the pressing need to build a strong talent pipeline through apprenticeships and training. That will ensure the industry continues to grow and deliver the necessary transformation of UK infrastructure.
Because the existing set-up isn't doing enough to reduce labour market friction and connect talent with work. More also needs to be done to encourage fresh talent to enter the industry and to support them through apprenticeships into technical roles.
"Apprenticeships are a key part of the industry's heritage, how skills and technical knowledge have always been transferred from experienced professionals to new starters," says NICEIC Chief Executive Officer Richard Orton. "Looking forward, they'll be crucial to closing the skills gap. When a business takes on an apprentice, they're not only making an investment in their business and that person's future, but they're also helping to ensure the industry itself continues to grow."
NICEIC's new research makes it clear that firms are looking to grow, take on new projects and invest in people, Orton adds, "but the industrywide infrastructure isn't always there to facilitate that. There needs to be a collective effort to put better structures in place, that help match electrical businesses with the talent they're clearly looking for.
"NICEIC is committed to helping the industry in this area and we're actively looking for ways to support NICEIC-certified businesses as they look to take on new apprentices."
Matching demand with supply
Nearly one in three firms surveyed are looking to achieve sustainable growth over the next three years and of those, nearly half (44%) intend to take on a new apprentice in 2025. This points to a demand among electrical businesses to seize new opportunities and the recognition that one of the best ways to achieve this is by training new staff through apprenticeships. This is further evidenced by the finding that 67% of firms that did hire staff in 2024 took on at least one apprentice. Satisfaction with apprentices already employed also remains high, with employers giving their apprentices a net positive score of 3.93 out of five.
Demi Whitehead, who completed her apprenticeship and now works as an electician at NICEIC-certified business William Davis Homes, backs this up: ''I'd always suggest an apprenticeship to anyone thinking about their future. The skills I learnt set me up for my career. The thing I really enjoy about this industry is that there's always more to learn as it continues to evolve."
Likewise, Charlie Moore is now a fully qualified electrical contractor, having completed his apprenticeship in August 2023 through the College of West Anglia and his employer, Bramham Electrical Ltd in King's Lynn, Norfolk.
"I think the balance of doing one day at college and then four days on-site really suited me. It helped to put me in the right mindset for being part of the workforce," he says.
"I like that no day is the same and you're always doing something different, working in both domestic and commercial environments. Plus, the fact I was also earning while being on the programme was a real benefit."
Challenges do exist, including concerns about government funding (cited by 49% of firms) and the work-readiness of some apprentices (43%). These concerns underscore the need for initiatives such as the recently introduced T Levels but the overall feedback from employers is encouraging.
With NICEIC's efforts in this area, more learners will be able to secure a rewarding apprenticeship role and more employers will benefit by finding the right talent.
