Last week I visited National Grid UK’s training academy in Eakring in my role as Labour’s Shadow Minister for Climate Change. Labour’s Shadow Energy Minister also came along on the visit.

National Grid is leading the way in training apprentices to deliver the clean energy infrastructure that the UK desperately needs. It was good to talk to the apprentices and to hear their enthusiasm for being part of this green transition; for them it’s not just about getting decent, secure jobs, but about feeling they’re helping to change the world too.
Whilst the Government would rather rely on polluting fossil fuels and bringing back fracking to meet our energy needs, Labour wants to ramp up investment in clean energy. We proved that at our Conference, with our commitments to deliver a clean power sector by 2030 and establish a new publicly-owned energy company, GB Energy, that will invest in renewables.

Labour’s plans will mean the creation of thousands of good green jobs. It’s good to see companies like National Grid supporting this, but we need to see a proper green skills strategy from the Government now.