Clean Power 2030 and AMP8 are powering a huge wave of infrastructure work across the country. Together, they’re behind over £300 billion in planned investment over the next five years. And they’re expected to generate around £865 billion in wider economic returns.
But there’s a challenge behind the boom: we’re facing a once-in-a-generation boom — and a once-in-a-generation talent shortfall.
The scale of the challenge
To meet the demand, and to replace those retiring, we’ll need:
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1.25 million new workers by 2028 across the built environment
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300,000 new people in utilities, including:
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100,000 additional operatives for AMP8 – a 50% increase
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But this isn't just about hiring. It’s about making sure this bigger workforce is safe, visible, and working to the same standards. The real challenge is scaling without compromising.
Why this matters for safety
Safety is the first pressure point when teams grow quickly and experience walks out the door.
Infrastructure is high-risk. It only takes one gap to put people in danger.
And when experienced workers retire, that gap widens.
Our data shows that those leaving hold 30% more competencies than the workers coming in. We’re not just losing numbers. We’re losing years of built-up, specialist knowledge.
But safety isn’t the only thing at stake — delivery is on the line too.
Why this matters for delivery
Utilities need to deliver the equivalent of 6 HS2s in half the time. It's no small feat.
Delivering infrastructure at this scale on time and on budget means having skilled people in the right place, at the right time. But that’s a big ask when everyone’s hiring at once.
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Every sector is trying to recruit from the same shrinking talent pool. This means it’s getting harder – and more expensive – to find operatives in the numbers needed.
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New starters need time. Without the experience or familiarity, they take longer to get up to speed.
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Even small shortages can stall progress. Some skills sit on the critical path of a project - even a small shortage can cause delay spirals.
Opportunities from a new workforce across utilities
While a fast-growing workforce brings risk, it also brings real promise:
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Local pride: Many new hires come from nearby, bringing in local knowledge and long-term value.
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New ideas: Recruits from other industries bring fresh perspectives and skills.
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Smarter practices: A changing workforce is a chance to modernise how things are done – making work safer, more inclusive, and more efficient. No more "but that's not the way we do things here".
If we get this right, the new generation of utilities workers won’t just plug the gap – they’ll raise the bar.
Scaling safely starts with visibility
Whether it’s safety or delivery – it all starts with visibility.
You need to know who’s on site, what they’re trained to do, and whether they’re ready. That real-time view is what keeps things moving safely and smoothly as the pressure ramps up.
That's why we've built Utilities Passport (and why it's growing fast). It's a skills passport built specifically for the utilities sector. If you want to learn how Utilities Passport could transform the operations of your organisation, click here to read our explainer.
