As Wales gears up to elect the new members of its Senedd later this year, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has called on the next Welsh Government to overhaul apprenticeship support.
Its call for additional support comes after the number of electricians and apprentices working in Wales fell from 13,400 in 2015 to 7,600 today. That drop, it says, risks undermining Wales’ ability to deliver its electrification ambitions and maintain safe, reliable electrical infrastructure.
The Welsh election is set to be held on May 7, 2026, with opinion polls suggesting a two horse race between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. While neither party has released its manifesto for the Welsh elections yet, with Reform expected to release theirs later today, both have historically had different views when it comes to electrifying the economy.
In its 2024 manifesto, Plaid Cymru called for the expansion of Ynni Cymru, which currently provides support to Welsh firms to help them make the most out of renewables. Meanwhile, Reform UK has long held the position that pursuing a greener economy is a waste of time, urging energy firms last year to ‘end’ their investment in renewables.
While both positions could have a drastically different impact on the need for electrical skills, the ECA states that even if we wanted to simply maintain the current workforce in Wales, at least 700 new electrical apprentices would be needed every year. Its latest figures show that just 435 electrical apprentices started training in Wales last year.
While the gap is sizable, the ECA argues it is not inevitable – and says the decline is reversible if the next administration adopts practical reforms shaped by employers and training providers.
Andrew Hutchins, Chair of ECA South Wales Executive Committee, noted, “Apprenticeship funding, in its current form, is not delivering what the electrical industry in Wales urgently needs. While the intention behind the funding model is positive – supporting skills development and creating a pipeline of qualified electricians – the reality on the ground is very different.
“Electrical employers face increasing administrative burdens, inconsistent access to funds, and training requirements that often fail to reflect the technical demands of the sector.”
A workforce challenge with economic consequences
At its simplest, the ECA’s argument is that Wales is heading towards a workforce crunch at the very moment demand for electrical skills is rising – from domestic electrification and energy efficiency upgrades to commercial retrofits and wider grid-related work.
A reduction from 13,400 to 7,600 over roughly a decade is not a marginal fluctuation; it signals a structural decline in the number of people available to design, install, maintain and verify electrical systems across the country. The association is positioning this not just as an industry problem, but as an economic one: fewer electricians means slower delivery of building projects, higher costs, and an increased risk that electrification plans become undeliverable in practice.
The trade body also leans heavily on the safety implications. According to the ECA’s Welsh manifesto, electrical work is not a sector where ‘making do’ is a sensible strategy. A shortfall in competent labour can lead to pressure on timelines and standards – and the ECA is keen to ensure that any ramp-up in installation activity does not coincide with falling competence.
