1,000 apprentices to be recruited to make homes greener

Under measures being announced by Ministers today, they will help deliver the Government’s “green deal” programme which aims to provide insulation and other green technology to millions of homes. The improvements will be financed by companies carrying out the work and then paid back by homeowners through savings on their energy bills.

Ministers hope the programme – to be delivered at a time when soaring oil prices threaten to send energy bills rocketing – will support 100,000 jobs within five years but admit it needs a “big injection of skills and investment” at the start to succeed.

It is hoped the measures will help apprentices become experts in installing cavity and solid wall insulation and new energy-efficient heating systems, as well as learning about new green technologies.

The funding will cover the full costs of training apprentices who are 16 to 18 years old, while the Government will share the cost with businesses for apprentices who are 19 and older.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who will announce the funding today, said: “The Green Deal is about the future – and it is important we ensure that future generations have the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities of the green economy.

“These apprenticeships are a perfect example of how government and business can work together towards a low-carbon future,” he said.

The announcement comes alongside the publication of a carbon action plan which outlines all the measures the Government is implementing to cut emissions and drive forward a low-carbon economy.