A new group has been convened by the UK Government to ensure the UK has the skilled water industry workforce it needs to deliver record levels of investment and reform. The Water Skills Strategic Group brings together senior leaders in government from and across the water sector and its supply chain. The group’s focus will be the delivery of the £104 billion investment – the largest since privatisation – which will create more than 30,000 new jobs, support the building of 1.5m new homes, and help restore the nation’s rivers, lakes and seas.

Convened by Defra and co-chaired with sector skills body Energy & Utility Skills, the group will drive coordinated action to grow the workforce across England and Wales. The Group will ensure the water sector has the skills needed to deliver huge infrastructure projects including nine new reservoirs, nine large-scale water transfer schemes and reducing leaks from water pipes. This will include roles such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers and surveyors.

Meeting quarterly, the group will focus on identifying where skills are needed most across the sector, exploring how to improve its attractiveness to new, diverse talent and ensuring the right training and qualifications are in place.