It’s time to address the M&E skills gap

The UK’s mechanical and electrical (M&E) sector plays a critical role in new-build construction and the decarbonisation of existing buildings as we pursue a more sustainable future.

However, no matter where you look, figures show that a growing skills gap threatens the ability of the industry to meet these increasing demands.

This shortage of skilled workers seems to be driven by multiple factors, not least an ageing workforce, difficulty in attracting younger generations and the influx of technology.

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach involving education, industry collaboration and government intervention.

Skills England is newly established by the government to identify and address national skills gaps in collaboration with key industry bodies. Its aim is to unify the skills landscape by coordinating local authorities, businesses, training providers and unions.

This should shape technical education to meet workforce needs, including training under the growth and skills levy. In all, a welcome step forward by any measure.

But what about M&E specifically? Let’s take a look at three factors behind the sector’s skills gap and uncover what needs to be done to create a sufficient pipeline of talent, particularly in specialised trades such as electrical installation, plumbing, heating and ventilation.

The ageing workforce is a primary concern in M&E. Many experienced technicians are approaching retirement, and there are simply not enough trained individuals entering the industry to replace them.

In fact, the Construction Skills Network (CSN) predicted that the broader construction industry needs 251,500 extra workers to meet UK construction output by 2028.

As experienced M&E professionals retire, valuable expertise about complex building systems and maintenance practices could be lost.

The industry must ensure that knowledge is transferred to the next generation. Clear training pathways and mentoring are key.

But the issue of passing on expertise to a new cohort of talent throws up another question: how do we make M&E appeal to young people?

With the creation of Skills England and reforms to the apprenticeship levy coming forward, there’s yet another opportunity to attract a new generation of talent. 

Collectively, we need to shout about M&E from the rooftops: emphasise how joining this highly specialised sector can enable young people to play a vital role in creating healthy, sustainable buildings for now and the future.

As always, the answer is to start young. In many industries, gone are the days where having a degree is necessary for forging a lifelong, successful career.

Parents and teachers themselves should feel empowered to encourage children to pursue a technical career in the built environment – through whatever training route they choose, whether an apprenticeship or university education.

Industry is also becoming more creative with STEM initiatives for reaching children. Take the CIBSE Flush Challenge, an educational game designed to engage pupils aged 9 to 11 in building services engineering.

Proactive approaches like this get the right people in front of the next generation, fostering the early exposure and curiosity needed to attract more young people into the sector, while improving its perception in the long run.

M&E is evolving at a rapid pace, with new technologies such as smart building systems, renewable energy integration and AI coming to the fore.

These technological advancements require new skill sets that many existing workers do not possess, creating an additional layer of complexity in addressing the shortage.

We see it all the time: Gen Z are being trained to use complex software and systems, while the older generations aren’t necessarily as savvy but have the on-the-ground practical experience needed to bring complex M&E projects to life.

To future-proof the sector, we need to upskill our existing workers so they can compete on an increasingly complex technical level, while ensuring young people have the foundational skills needed to be solid M&E specialists.

Navigating this balancing act comes at a pivotal time for the sector. A coordinated effort between industry leaders, educational institutions and policymakers will be essential for bridging the skills gap once and for all.

Through enhanced training, awareness campaigns and industry collaboration, the M&E sector can build a resilient workforce for the future, ensuring continued growth and innovation.

Scott Lydon is director of the building services division at Clancy Consulting.