The low carbon heat apprenticeships challenge: co-creating solutions for quicker, more inclusive workforce development

This project, developed with MCS Foundation, uses mixed methods to explore uptake of low carbon heating apprenticeships.

Changing domestic heating systems is critical to the UK Government’s Warm Homes Plan and energy demand reduction. However, there are insufficient workers to meet anticipated demand, and the sector severely lacks diversity. Young people show particularly low interest in low carbon heat careers.

In 2024, MCS Foundation launched the Low-Carbon Heating Technician (LCHT) Apprenticeship to address this. Whilst evidence exists on workforce retraining challenges, there is little analysis of who follows different heating routes or competition from related apprenticeships (plumbing, electrical). Understanding young people’s experiences is essential for developing the future workforce.

This project addresses two research questions:

• Who undertakes apprenticeships in (and competing with) low carbon heat, and where are they based?
• How do young people (16–18 years) decide whether to train in low carbon heating?

Objectives:

1. Quantitatively assess the demographics and geography of young people undertaking heating and related apprenticeships in the UK.
2. Qualitatively analyse young people’s experiences and perceptions of heating apprenticeships.
3. Co-create improved guidance and good practice with MCS Foundation and stakeholders to enhance uptake and workforce diversity.

The project follows a mixed methods approach divided in two work packages.

Work package 1 – Quantitative analysis: Secondary analysis of publicly available data from UK Government, and other sources. We will identify relevant apprenticeships and analyse demographics, geography and uptake trends using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis.

Work package 2 – Qualitative analysis: Twenty students undertaking heating apprenticeships will each identify a friend pursuing a non-heating route. The pairs will conduct a structured conversation without the researcher present, reducing power imbalances. This friendship interviewing approach is established in education research but novel to energy studies.

Expected findings will inform MCS Foundation strategy and policy development around low carbon apprenticeships. We will identify which demographics and geographies access heating apprenticeships and how young people make career decisions. This analysis is timely given the new Office for Clean Energy Jobs, Skills England and Young Person’s Guarantee.