The number of new electrical apprentices in Scotland has hit a 13-year high as the industry continues to grapple with skills shortages.

The latest rise in the number of new learners comes on top of a 35 per cent increase in 2021. Industry leaders have welcomed the inflow of new talent which is increasingly in demand as electricity plays a growing role in powering communications, transportation and heating.

Some 800 apprentices and 157 adult learners enrolled this year in training programmes operated by the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) – which oversees the registration and licensing of apprentices – up from 817 in 2021. The total number of those in training is 3,000.

“This has been another exceptional year and it is encouraging to see a healthy pipeline of apprentices and adult trainees wanting to learn the skills required to power the electrical future that awaits us all,” SJIB secretary Fiona Harper said. “Employers should also be saluted for continuing to nurture and encourage young electrical talent and help them along the path to a highly rewarding career.

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“There remain many challenges for the construction industry, but it is heartening that the demand for electrical apprenticeships, and the willingness of employers to make them available, continues to grow.”

Training is managed on behalf of the SJIB by the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT). Anne Galbraith, chief executive of SECTT, said the industry in Scotland is “determined” to tackle the skills shortages that are occurring throughout the UK.

“Colleges and training centres are to be applauded for increasing capacity and offering staggered start dates to accommodate demand,” she said. “They have been doing great work in helping students embrace all the modern technologies which will play such a huge part in a greener and more sustainable future.

“Equally, the quality and diversity of apprentices has been gratifyingly high, and it is particularly encouraging to see a growing cohort of female apprentices and an increase in those with disability, making their distinct contribution to the growth of the sector.”

Ms Harper, who is also director of employment and skills at industry trade body SELECT, added: “The industry has been concerned for some time about the skills shortages as the demand for qualified electricians accelerates, and the enthusiasm and dedication of these new recruits goes a long way to easing these fears and suggesting that there is a real appetite to learn leading edge skills.”