Addressing the green skills gap and building the UK’s green workforce through levy gifting
Our mission is to drive the energy transition and this requires a skilled green workforce – not just within our own company but across a range of organisations and industries, and in companies big and small.
Transitioning to cleaner, greener, and more affordable energy is impossible without a skilled workforce to develop and implement the necessary solutions. Right now, the UK does not have enough skilled workers to meet these demands. By 2030, nearly 20% of green jobs could remain unfilled, and without proactive upskilling, this gap could widen to 50% by 2050.
This presents a huge opportunity for green skills careers with opportunities for hundreds of thousands of well-paid green jobs available now and into the future.
We’re proud to deliver our own award-winning apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship schemes. Since 2018, we’ve enrolled 1,000 new and existing colleagues onto 100 different E.ON apprenticeship programmes across a range of levels from intermediate to higher/degree level, providing apprentices with a thorough, well designed and fulfilling learning experience.
But our support goes beyond that. Through ‘levy gifting’, we’re also delivering direct funding to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) across the country, helping to ensure the nation has the green skills needed in the new energy world.
What is levy gifting?
Levy gifting is a term used to describe what happens when companies with an annual wage bill of £3 million or more pay a levy to other companies to help them recruit, train and assess apprentices. By transferring our levy funds, we’re supporting SMEs in developing the green skills they require – helping not only their own business but the nation’s green skills drive as well.
We’ve levy gifted close to £1.2 million over the last four years to support our social value strategy and commitment to skills development and have worked with SMEs that need to gain career development and key skills for the future.
Right now, through levy gifting, we’re supporting 73 apprentices within 42 SMEs across the UK, including Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, the Midlands and London. We support schemes across a range of sustainable solutions, construction and digital related areas such as heat pump engineering, carpentry and plastering, data and IT security.
One of the partners we work with is The Sovini Group, a Community Benefit Society based in the North West, who told us: “We’re incredibly grateful for the levy transfer from E.ON which has provided significant and tangible benefits to both our business operations and our dedicated learners. This vital support has been instrumental in our ongoing commitment to workforce development.
“The levy transfer has enabled us to bring in new apprentices in trades, such as electrical, plumbing, and construction. This investment has directly enhanced capacity for new projects, improved service delivery, and a strengthened pipeline of skilled professionals ready to meet future demands.
“As a result, we've seen a measurable positive impact on our overall business performance and our ability to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. For our learners, the impact has been great. They have gained or are currently studying valuable new qualifications and practical, industry-relevant skills, which have not only boosted their professional capabilities but also significantly increased their confidence and morale.
“E.ON's commitment to local investment through this levy transfer is clearly making an evident and positive difference. It's not just about financial support; it's about fostering sustainable growth, creating skilled employment opportunities, and strengthening the economic fabric of our community. We are a testament to the benefits of such strategic partnerships and are deeply appreciative of E.ON's continued support.”
Levy gifting is a win-win-win-win. For us in supporting our core mission to transition to a new energy world; for the businesses we support with funding to help them develop the skills they need; for the nation’s clean energy ambitions; and of course for the people who are benefitting from the training and skills development needed to thrive in a green career.
To find out more about careers at E.ON, visit our careers page.