Check against delivery. First delivered to the South West Green Skills Advisory Panel Summit in February 2025.
Good morning everyone. I'm delighted to be at the Future Skills Centre by Exeter Airport.
You know, throughout my fourteen-plus years in Parliament, I've fought tooth and nail for skills and apprenticeships. I've always said that education is about the ladder of opportunity—and today, that ladder is painted green. When I was Skills Minister, I saw first-hand how the proper training at the right time can transform lives. That's why I'm standing here today.
I was the first MP to hire full-time Parliamentary Apprentices, supported by local businesses and I have seen the power of business be a force for good, especially in training, skills and apprenticeships.
As Honorary Chair of GSAP - and believe me, this isn't some ceremonial role where I just turn up for photos - I'm here because I believe in what we're doing. Looking around this room, I don't just see partners and stakeholders. I see people who understand that levelling up isn't just a slogan - it's about creating real jobs, real apprenticeships, and real opportunities in real communities. Every person in this room is a potential creator of opportunity.
Let me tell you what green skills mean to me. I didn't get into politics to talk about abstract concepts. I got into politics to fight for people who want to work hard and get on in life. Yes, green skills are about tackling climate change - but they're fundamentally about putting food on tables, paying mortgages, and giving people a shot at a better life. Whenever I visit a college or training centre, I meet young people who just need that first rung on the ladder. Green skills are that first rung, and often the second and third rungs.
So, what are green skills, then? Simply put, they're the knowledge and the gumption needed to build a sustainable, resource-efficient society. We're talking about the practical, hands-on skills to install heat pumps, retrofit homes, design low-carbon systems, and innovate in the face of climate change. They include looking after the land and our vegetation
But it's more than just technical expertise, isn't it? It's a whole mindset. It's a philosophy that we can't just sit back and wait for someone else to fix things. It's a philosophy that recognises that every sector and job can and must be part of the green revolution. A chef needs to understand sustainable sourcing. A builder needs to know about thermal efficiency. A banker needs to grasp green finance! A journalist must know how to report climate change accurately and fairly! It's about embedding carbon literacy across the board
The philosophical underpinnings of green skills rest on three pillars that align perfectly with what I've always fought for: systems thinking - understanding how our actions affect everyone around us; intergenerational equality - ensuring we don't pull up the ladder behind us; and inclusive transformation - making sure everyone gets a fair shot, not just those born into privilege. This isn't abstract philosophy - it's about building a ladder of opportunity in a society where talent and hard work determine how far you go, not your postcode or your parents' bank balance.
I've spent years - and I mean years - banging on about this in Parliament. The most significant barrier to social mobility isn't just academic education - it's about having the right skills at the right time. Here's the reality check: only 12.5% of our workers have green skills [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. We're 200,000 workers short in green energy and sustainable construction [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. And with 20% of our construction workforce retiring by 2030 [https://thegcap.co.uk/], we are facing a green skills emergency.
In the South West, these numbers hit even harder. We need 50,000 new jobs by 2030 for retrofitting [Green Skills: Building the Foundation for a Sustainable Future].
Last year, during National Apprentice Week I went to many parts of the South West to learn about skills in the region and meet apprentices. Starting off in a Cornish Hamlet literally called The London Apprentice, (called so because a young man went to Lond to get an apprenticeship - showing the power and prestige of apprenticeships, that a whole Hamlet was named after him) - going on to The Eden Project, to the brilliant Exeter College, then to Adopstar Agency in Exeter, to Airbus in Bristol and Specsavers in Bath. I met outstanding apprentices and saw how skills provide a force for good: employment, prosperity and security.
We need to do the same for Green Skills.
We have one qualified heat pump installer for every 800 homes needing conversion [West of England Combined Authority data]. But here's the thing - I don't see 799 problems. I see 799 opportunities for apprenticeships and jobs. That's 799 chances to change lives.
This is why GSAP matters and why I'm proud to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in.
We're not some quango or talking shop. GSAP is not here to write reports that gather dust on Whitehall shelves. We're here to get things done. In two years, we've built 20 GSAP centres [https://thegcap.co.uk/] and trained 13,500 learners [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. That's 13,500 people climbing the ladder of opportunity. That's 13,500 families whose lives are changing for the better.
I'm particularly proud that GSAP has grown from a construction-focused initiative to encompass the broader green economy. Our name change from GCAP to GSAP wasn't just a rebranding—it was a recognition that the green skills agenda reaches across sectors from manufacturing to digital technology. But we haven't lost our practical focus in the process. We've stayed true to our roots—creating pathways into good jobs for people who want to work hard and get on.
Let me be crystal clear about what sets us apart. We're doers, not talkers.
GSAP are makers, not moaners. Everything GSAP does has to pass a straightforward test: does it help people get the skills they need to get the jobs they want? There are no fancy theories or complicated frameworks - just practical action that changes lives.
We work through four channels - and each one is about practical action:
First, partnerships. I'm not talking about meaningless MoUs gathering dust in filing cabinets. I'm talking about 500 new green apprenticeships [GSAP Summary Docs Feb 18 2025] with companies like JCB and Rolls-Royce—real apprenticeships with real wages, leading to real jobs. When I started banging the drum for apprenticeships years ago, people said it couldn't be done. Well, we're doing it. And we're not stopping there - we're targeting 1,000 apprenticeships by the end of 2025 [Green Skills Advisory Panel targets].
Second, transform the curriculum. This isn't about adding a few token modules on sustainability—it's about fundamentally reimagining what skills training looks like.
The aim is to embed carbon literacy into every course, from construction to digital. GSAP has identified the five critical skill gaps through hard data: insulation, heat pumps, solar PV & EV, retrofit, and water conservation [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. We're building targeted, practical training pathways for each one.
GSAP is taking an axe to unnecessary bureaucracy too. You know what drives me mad? When experienced tradespeople have to spend two years getting a piece of paper to prove they can do what they've been doing for decades. That's why PAS:2030 certification has been cut from 24 months to three days [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. But this isn't just about faster qualifications - it's about better ones.
Curriculum development brings together system designers, manufacturers, installers, and training providers to ensure what's taught matches what's needed on the job site. No more mismatches between education and the real world. Every qualification we create has to meet one simple test: will it help someone get a better job? If the answer is no, we start again.
We've taken an axe to unnecessary bureaucracy. That's why GSAP cut PAS:2030 certification from 24 months to three days [https://thegcap.co.uk/]. There is no nonsense or hoops to jump through - just practical, sensible training. And we're looking at every qualification we offer with the same ruthless focus on what actually matters.
Third, supporting young people and the disadvantaged: The work with the Ted Wragg Trust isn't about ticking boxes. It's about showing kids from challenging backgrounds that they've got a future in this industry. GSAP are expanding to 50 schools [GSAP Summary Docs Feb 18 2025]. Right here in Devon, the Ted Wragg Trust partnership with Exeter College engaged 100 students from 16 schools [GSAP Annual Report 2024] in their Innovation Competition, addressing real-world challenges like Green Living and Home Decarbonisation. These are the faces of the green skills revolution.
GSAP will prioritize areas of social deprivation because the ladder of opportunity has to reach everyone, not just those who already have a leg up. GSAP are particularly focusing on areas like Torbay, parts of Plymouth, and North Devon where young people have traditionally had fewer opportunities.
Fourth, practical business support: GSAP "You Said, We Did" approach isn't complicated. Businesses tell us what they need, and we deliver. There are no committees, no consultation papers—just action. Support hubs in Exeter, Plymouth, and Bristol are making a real difference, and we're opening three more this year.
Looking ahead, GSAP is launching initiatives that matter to real people. The Mobile Training Unit will reach rural communities where transport costs can be the difference between getting trained or getting left behind. I've seen too many talented young people missing out because they can't afford the bus fare to college. Not anymore. The Green Skills Innovation Fund isn't about fancy tech - it's about helping small businesses create apprenticeships. And the Retrofit Academy is creating clear career paths where none existed before.
I'm particularly interested in the work developing "fabric first" training. The reality is that most UK homes requiring retrofitting need proper insulation and adequate ventilation before anything else. Installing fancy heat pumps or solar panels without this foundation won't deliver the benefits we need. It's a perfect metaphor for education- we must get the basics right first. That's exactly what our comprehensive suite of insulation courses is designed to do, ensuring that we're building a workforce that understands these fundamental principles.
The South West can lead this revolution. You have the expertise, the determination, and most importantly, the appetite for action.
Conclusion
Let me finish with this: I've spent my entire career fighting for the ladder of opportunity. I’ve taken on the educational traditionalists, challenged the snobbery against technical education, and pushed for apprenticeships when they weren't fashionable. Green skills aren't just another government initiative - they're the rungs of that ladder for a new generation. They're about creating good jobs, wages, and opportunities for everyone - not just the fortunate few.
I know there are challenges ahead. We face funding lifecycles that create uncertainty, regional disparities in access and provision, and a policy landscape that still doesn't fully recognize the importance of technical education. But these aren't reasons to slow down but to push harder.
The GSAP National Board has set ambitious priorities for 2025, from advocating for stable, long-term funding models to strengthening our engagement with government officials. We're positioning ourselves as the key partner in shaping the future of training and skills development across the UK.
This is our moment. Together, you can make the southwest the epicentre of green skills development. We can show that tackling climate change and creating social mobility aren't separate challenges - they're two sides of the same coin. The ladder of opportunity is here. The time is now. Let's grab it with both hands and climb up rung by rung.
