Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and delivered by Coventry University, the Electrification Skills Network (ESN) is set to launch the UK’s first Framework for a sector that could create over 100,000 jobs by 2025.
Knowledge and real-world experience garnered from academic partners, training providers, accrediting bodies and employers has been channelled into the ongoing development of an interactive website, which will house the Framework and outline a common set of skills to support the development of job roles and specifications for high quality electrification training and qualifications.
In a statement, Deepak Farmah, director of ERS Hub and C-ALPS at Coventry University, said: “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.”
He continued: “Employers will also be able to better identify the skills they actually need to transition to an electrification economy, whilst training providers and academia can forge collaborations to meet any gaps in the current provision.”
Backed by the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre and Enginuity, the ESN Framework will feature multiple listings, placed in relation to roles/operation levels within industry and, where appropriate, grouped by sector or specialism.
Each listing will represent one ‘Common Set of Skills’, which has been collated, reviewed and ratified for inclusion by key stakeholders within the electrification community and will reflect current and future skills.
Where no existing training and/or qualifications are linked to a listing, the Framework will provide a nationally available standardised starting point for the development of specific training modules or qualification units.
Paul Whiteside, ESN head of Programme, said: “We want this ‘single source of truth’ to continue to grow until we have a skills ecosystem and training roadmap that is delivering for the entire sector.
“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.”
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