Water UK hosted its first-ever Skills Summit in Westminster today, bringing together government and industry leaders to plan for the sector’s future. 

They launched an ambitious plan to recruit and train 50,000 new workers by 2030. This is a critical step toward delivering the £100 billion programme of investment to help support economic growth, build more homes, secure our water supplies and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.  

Government and the water industry announced an historic set of actions: 

• The water sector to recruit 50,000 people by 2030.
• Recruitment of up to 5,000 apprentices, an increase of 25% and up to 2,000 further young people via a new ‘Water Academy Work Programme’.
• Support for over 100,000 long-term unemployed, care-leavers and veterans through ‘Untapped Talent’ initiatives which provide skills and access to jobs.
• A £25,000 annual Watershot Prize to support graduate research and innovation.
• Continuing to progress ‘Water Skills Bootcamps’ - 16-week courses that offer a guaranteed interview to anyone successfully completing the course. 

To support this effort, ministers signed a Water Skills Pledge, committing every part of government to support the workforce needed to deliver the £100 billion investment across England. The water sector was also declared a priority area for economic growth. 

Water companies are already expanding early careers outreach, with thousands of work experience opportunities planned each year. As the scale of investment increases, attracting and retaining skilled workers will be central to delivering a secure and sustainable water future for the UK.