Recruiting solar installers in London? Help shape the training you need

If recruiting skilled people is limiting your ability to take on more solar work, a new funding opportunity from the Mayor of London could help you build the workforce capacity you need.

The GLA Construction Skills Pilot is funding employer-led training in construction and green skills, with solar installation specifically identified as a priority occupation.

For solar businesses, the opportunity is to help shape training around the skills you actually need — so candidates are better prepared for the realities of the job and require less time and resource to get up to speed.

What could your business gain?

• Help shape the skills entering your workforce. Employers can influence training content and delivery around real recruitment and operational needs.

• Build your future recruitment pipeline. The Pilot is designed to connect employers with trained candidates, supported by a wraparound recruitment service.

• Reduce onboarding time and cost. Better alignment between training and the job could mean new recruits arrive better prepared to contribute.

• Scale up training you're already doing. If you already train new recruits or upskill existing installers in-house, there may be an opportunity to expand that model through the Pilot.

You don't need an existing training programme to get involved. Businesses looking to recruit can still participate, access the resulting talent pipeline and help shape what candidates are taught.

This is likely to be particularly relevant to residential and commercial solar installers, EPCs and electrical contractors with London operations or plans to grow their installation workforce. We are also keen to hear from members already delivering relevant training.

Interested? Please get in touch now.

Solar Energy UK is working with GoodPeople/Net Zero Careers to connect interested members with suitable training partners.

Employers and training providers need to be identified in early September, ahead of the formal 30 September 2026 application deadline, so please contact Luke McCarthy at luke@goodpeople.co.uk as soon as possible if your business would like to explore taking part.

This is an opportunity to make sure investment in London's solar skills pipeline is shaped by the businesses that will ultimately employ those skills.