Engineering Britain’s net zero workforce: E.ON and University of Nottingham team up to train tomorrow’s innovators

As the Government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out the need for more than 800,000 green roles by 2030, E.ON and the University of Nottingham have strengthened their partnership to ensure the next generation of engineers are ready to seize those opportunities — driving innovation, tackling climate change and helping to build a cleaner, fairer energy system.

Research(1) from E.ON reveals that nearly half (47%) of UK school leavers are already aiming for green careers, while 52% believe roles that help the planet are more valuable than those that don’t — proof that a new generation is ready to engineer real change.

Building on their previous collaboration through the City as Lab project, which uses E.ON’s PropSol data to map fuel poverty and identify sustainable housing solutions across Nottingham, the partnership is creating direct pathways from university study into engineering careers at E.ON, equipping apprentices with the skills, experience and opportunities to turn their learning into long-term employment in the green economy. This hands-on, industry-aligned approach ensures graduates are not only job-ready but also capable of driving meaningful impact from the outset.

A cornerstone of the partnership is E.ON’s Electro-mechanical Engineer Degree Apprenticeship offered through the University, which blends study with real-world experience on live energy projects across the UK. Apprentices earn a salary while studying for a fully funded degree, applying their learning to projects that make homes, hospitals and whole communities cleaner, greener and more efficient. Since 2018, E.ON has supported more than 1,300 apprentices across 100 programmes – gaining the hands-on skills and technical know-how needed to drive Britain’s energy transition.

Helen Bradbury, Chief People Officer at E.ON UK, said: “Our partnership with the University of Nottingham is all about empowering young people to shape the UK’s clean energy future. Recently recognised by the Sunday Times as the best place to work for people aged 18-34, our award-winning apprenticeships are built for those who want to make an impact from day one, helping to turn cities like Nottingham into greener, fairer, more sustainable communities.”

Dr Elizabeth Bishop, Programme Director at the University of Nottingham, said: “By partnering on programmes like the Electro-mechanical Engineer Degree Apprenticeship, we’re not only equipping apprentices with cutting-edge technical and green skills, but also directly contributing to the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. At the University of Nottingham, we deeply value all our employer partnerships — each one plays a vital role in shaping the future workforce. These connections ensure our curriculum remains responsive to industry needs and help drive real change in skills development, innovation, and sustainability across sectors.”

Across E.ON, graduate engineers and apprentices are already putting these skills into practice — from developing smarter district heating networks to rolling out solar and battery solutions across the country.

Case study: Alice’s journey into green engineering Alice Hedley-Fenn, 19, is a local Nottingham talent whose journey into green engineering perfectly illustrates how E.ON and the University of Nottingham are building Britain’s net zero workforce. After a college work experience placement at E.ON’s Nottingham office, Alice discovered a spark that set her on the path to E.ON’s Electro-mechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship while studying for a Bachelor’s in Electro-mechanical Engineering at the University. Through the programme, Alice splits her time between classroom learning and hands-on work on real energy projects across Nottingham and the UK, from smart district heating networks to solar and battery installations. Her contributions are helping the city and wider region transition to low-carbon energy, while equipping her with the practical skills and experience that E.ON relies on to grow its green workforce. “When I started looking into apprenticeships, the electro-mechanical course stood out. It combined the kind of work I’d enjoyed seeing first-hand with a degree that offered both mechanical and electrical disciplines, which was something that felt really relevant for the future of engineering. “My role is a green job, as so many are in E.ON, considering sustainability and the impact of our work is something every modern company should be doing. Developing green skills isn’t just a career choice, it’s essential for our future.”

A partnership powering people and place

Beyond developing skills, the collaboration is helping boost the local economy and address inequality in one of the UK’s most deprived cities — where 40% of children live in poverty and average household income ranks among the lowest nationwide.

With deep local roots in Nottingham, E.ON continues to invest in projects that make the city greener, fairer and more resilient:

• Delivered 1,500+ home energy upgrades through ECO4 and GBIS, saving households over £300,000 a year
• Installed 700 renewable technologies like solar panels and heat pumps via LAD and HUG schemes.
• Partnered with Nottingham Forest FC on a solar-powered fan zone and the youth-focused E.ON New Energy Academy.
• Working with Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) to help the hospital reach net zero by 2030 via geothermal heating, smart controls and energy-saving technology