ECA welcomes Construction Jobs Plan that cites sector skills plan and regional ETCAs

The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) has joined the Engineering & Building Services Skills Alliance (EBSSA) in welcoming the government's Construction Jobs Plan, published on 19 October 2026, as a step towards tackling the sector's workforce and skills shortages.

The 65-page plan, published by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, sets out what the government calls a national framework for addressing the construction sector's workforce and skills challenges and the barriers to investment in the workforce. It is one of a series of Jobs Plans being produced under the Industrial Strategy.

ECA said the plan addresses issues it has campaigned on, including the need to increase the number of qualified electricians, strengthen the talent pipeline and support people entering employment.

Keith Sanderson, Head of Education and Skills at ECA, said: "The demand for electricians continues to grow and ensuring we have a strong pipeline of qualified professionals is essential."

What the plan commits to

According to the government's release, the plan will come alongside 40,000 construction placements a year, as part of a previously announced industry ambition. A Construction Apprenticeship Network will be created to boost apprentice recruitment and participation by smaller firms, and industry will strengthen workforce planning for construction, identifying jobs and skills needs nationally, regionally and locally.

The government said the construction measures are supported by industry bodies including the Construction Skills Mission Board. The same release announced that professional and business services firms will take on 22,400 new apprentices aged under 25 each year.

The government added that the plan requires joint work between government, industry, local leaders and delivery partners that avoids duplication, overlap and competing activities.

ECA said the Construction Skills Mission Board, which includes an ECA member business representative, has set an ambition to create 100,000 more jobs by the end of this Parliament. The government's June 2025 announcement launched an industry commitment to recruit 100,000 more construction workers a year by the end of the Parliament. The same announcement also referred to a £625m investment to tackle skills shortages in the construction sector. The first board meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Mark Reynolds, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council.

The sector's own plan

ECA is a founding member of EBSSA, which it describes as the first built environment body to develop a sector-specific skills plan for the mission board. That plan is cited in the Jobs Plan. Actuate UK describes EBSSA as a skills coalition of its members together with BEAMA, CIPHE, TICA-ACAD and MCS, supporting building services engineering representation on the board.

EBSSA published its plan in February 2026, reporting that over 50% of vacancies in engineering and building services are hard to fill and that apprenticeship starts are declining. Its ten recommendations included formal recognition of EBSSA as the lead vehicle for convening sector input into skills policy and workforce planning, more financial incentives and practical support to help small businesses recruit, train and retain workers, and skills and employment targets in public and private contracts.

Gautier Jacob, CEO of ECA member Dalkia UK and the engineering and building services representative on the Construction Skills Mission Board, said: "We employ 30% of the built-environment workforce, and typically account for 40-60% of construction project value. More than 99% of firms are SMEs."

Mr Jacob said delivery of the plan depends on more employers, especially SMEs, having the confidence and resources to recruit and train.

Regional alliances

ECA said its Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliances (ETCAs) are also referenced in the plan. ECA launched the ETCAs in 2024 as regional networks of member businesses, training providers and local authorities working on workforce planning and skills provision in their areas.

Mr Sanderson said that since their introduction the alliances had shown how collaboration can deliver outcomes for learners, employers and the wider industry at regional level.

ECA lists 11 ETCA regions: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Cheshire & Warrington, Greater Manchester, Hampshire & Solent, Hull & East Yorkshire, Kent & Medway, Local London, North East, South Yorkshire, Thames Valley and West Midlands.

What happens next

ECA said it would continue to work with government, industry partners and training providers to support delivery of the plan.

The government said Jobs Plans are being developed for each of the eight growth-driving sectors of the Industrial Strategy plus construction, published in phases. Plans for Advanced Manufacturing, Creative Industries and Defence are still being developed.