A new skills charter has been launched at Sizewell C, Suffolk, in a collaboration that aims to use the nuclear power project to develop the legacy of a skilled and inclusive workforce.
The aptly named Sizewell C Skills Charter is the result of a collaboration between Sizewell C, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), Suffolk County Council (SCC), and East Suffolk Council (ESC).
It contains a series of practical commitments to address the workforce needs for the construction of the nuclear power station, while also ensuring long-term socio-economic benefits for Suffolk and the wider East of England.
The charter will also prioritise inclusivity, focusing on providing opportunities for under-represented groups, and supporting local communities.
Chris Young, head of employment affairs unit at Sizewell C, said: “The Sizewell C Skills Charter exemplifies our commitment to creating a highly skilled and inclusive workforce, not just for the construction of Sizewell C but for the long-term benefit of the East of England. This partnership with CITB, ECITB, and our local authority partners ensures we are building a legacy of skills and opportunities that will endure far beyond the project lifecycle.”
Key to the charter is the development of new training programmes tailored to the demands of Sizewell C, which will mean workers can gain industry-recognised qualifications and transferable skills. Commitments include:
- Getting people job ready: delivering pre-employment programmes and initiatives to ensure local residents, including under-represented groups, can access training opportunities and pathways into the workforce
- Upskilling and reskilling: rolling out tailored programmes for upskilling existing workers and reskilling those transitioning from related industries to meet the project’s unique demands
- Strengthening local infrastructure: establishing centres of excellence and supporting training networks across Suffolk and the East of England to foster long-term skills development
- Sharing labour market insights: collaborating on workforce data to optimise planning and ensure training meets industry and project needs.
Sets a precedent
The charter s said to establish a precedent for future infrastructure projects across the UK, demonstrating the value of collaboration between industry training boards, major developers, and local authorities, and highlighting the importance of harmonised training standards, robust governance, and a shared vision for workforce excellence.
Both Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council are anticipated to play pivotal roles in engaging local stakeholders and ensuring that the project delivers tangible benefits for the region.
As industry experts, CITB will focus on supporting the broader construction workforce, encompassing areas such as civil works, foundational infrastructure, and vocational training. While ECITB specialise in the engineering construction sector, covering mechanical, electrical, and advanced technical skills required for highly specialised infrastructure projects like Sizewell C.
Tim Balcon, CITB’s cchief executive, CITB said: “The launch of the skills charter in partnership with Sizewell C, ECITB, Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council strongly aligns with our purpose to support the construction industry to have a skilled, competent and inclusive workforce, now and in the future.
“This close collaboration across public and private sector is critical to the success of Sizewell C, and its significant contribution to long-term economic growth both regionally and nationally. By collaborating on this charter, we are maximising the value for Suffolk residents and local communities – by working with training providers to support local recruitment and skills development that will have a lasting positive impact on employment and productivity in the area.”
“At CITB, we are committed to fostering a robust and diverse construction workforce that is equipped to meet the evolving needs of the sector.”
Year of construction
Sizewell C, which recently celebrated a year of construction, has pledged that at least a third of the 7,900 peak construction workforce – around 2,600 jobs – will come from East Anglia.
Last year, it made a series of more specific regional pledges, aiming to deliver at least 500 jobs to people from both Lowestoft and Ipswich during the construction phase, launched a new regional jobs fair series with the Department of Work and Pensions, and opened a brand-new employability hub, Nucleus, in partnership with East Coast College.
Across Suffolk, the project is delivering a Sizewell C Jobs Service in partnership with the region – an effort to ensure that local employment is maximised. It is providing a £23m fund to enhance facilities and resources in local colleges, higher education and training providers and improve skills.
Furthermore, its ‘Young Sizewell C’ initiative – which aims to help raise young people’s aspirations and help them gain important opportunities on the project and its supply chain – has so far seen over 1,300 sign-ups, while 200 schools have accessed the project’s Power Up education resources.
At least 1,500 Sizewell C apprenticeships will be available over the course of the construction period, with at least 540 of those to come from Suffolk, where the project is based.
Andrew Hockey, chief executive of the ECITB, said: “As the statutory skills, standards and qualification body for engineering construction, we are committed to giving workers in Suffolk and the wider region the skills and opportunities they need to prepare them for this project while helping drive up employment and productivity in the region.
“Through our commitment to the charter, the ECITB will help provide high-quality training, expand entry points into industry with a focus on inclusivity and opportunity, enable upskilling and reskilling, strengthen regional training infrastructure, collaborate on competency frameworks and share labour market intelligence.
“The charter will help establish a sustainable legacy through robust training infrastructure, a highly skilled regional workforce and transferable skills that contribute to Suffolk’s long-term economic growth.”
Councillor Caroline Topping, leader of East Suffolk Council, said: “East Suffolk Council is entirely committed to ensuring that local communities are not only supported during the Sizewell C construction programme, but are also able to take advantage of associated beneficial initiatives.
“The skills charter will enable local people to access training and employment opportunities in line with our own commitment to skills development and we are very optimistic about the economic benefit which this is designed to deliver.”
Main image: Signing the charter (left to right): Chris Young, Sizewell C, head of employment affairs unit; Tim Balcon, chief executive of CITB; Andrew Hockey, chief executive of ECITB; Paul Wood, head of economic development and regeneration at East Suffolk Council; and Michael Gray, head of skills at Suffolk County Council
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