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Powering Refugee Employment with the Shell UK Skills Transition programme

Our new two-year partnership will allow refugees to tap into opportunities in the energy transition sector and help plug a growing skills gap.

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Breaking Barriers
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The drive to accelerate renewable energy growth, as part of the global challenge to meet net-zero goals, is set to create an abundance of employment opportunities. Or, as Reuters called it, a “jobs bonanza”*. 

But a major challenge exists. How will the UK address the growing skills shortage to fill these energy transition roles? The International Energy Agency has warned that the number of workers pursuing relevant degrees is not keeping up with growing demand. And the UK’s offshore industry has said that it needs to attract 10,000 more people a year by 2030, many of them with STEM skills. 

Plugging this skills gap is essential. Which is why Breaking Barriers is pleased to announce a new two-year partnership with Shell UK as part of its SkillsTransition programme, called Powering Refugee Employment. This programme will tap into the incredible existing skills, experience and potential for innovation that refugees offer the UK.  

Simultaneously, refugees – who are four times more likely to be unemployed compared to people born in the UK – will be provided with access to the tools, knowledge and opportunities to achieve meaningful employment. Powering Refugee Employment will strive to enable 320 refugees across the UK into jobs, education and training, including 60 refugees into energy transition roles.  

“Our partnership with Shell UK has provided us with the resources to pilot sector-focused employment programmes,” said Louise Thomson, Director of Services at Breaking Barriers. “It is helping us to establish new ways of working, which will enable us to remain agile to labour market trends and ensure that we are delivering our mission of supporting refugees into meaningful employment in the sectors they are interested in.”  

 

A two-stage approach 

The programme has been designed with a two-stage approach to support refugees with varied needs, skills and experience into energy transition jobs.  

Stage 1 – One-to-one advisor-led employment support: 

To ensure that our Employment Services can support clients into energy transition roles, our team has been upskilled with:   

  • Knowledge of the energy transition sector, enabling quality advice and guidance. 
  • Awareness of energy transition opportunities and resources such as training, jobs, skills and qualifications. 

“Upskilling our employment team on energy transition is so important,” added Louise. “They will now be able to support our clients to understand skills and labour shortages in the UK the energy sector, and to explore how these shortages can be an opportunity. This will allow clients to plan ahead and remain competitive as the industry grows and evolves.” 

Stage 2 – Energy transition programme cohorts:  

In collaboration with Shell UK, and with support from our other partners, the Breaking Barriers team has started delivering a bespoke programme: 

  • This will serve six cohorts of refugees and focus on a range of industries that offer significant opportunities related to energy transition.  
  • Activities will include workshops, employer insight sessions, training pathways, and mentoring. This will ensure that participants gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills for the energy transition sector, as well as making key connections and networking with employers. 

 

Cohort 1 – Engineering, Architecture and Construction (Built Environment) 

It was truly inspiring to learn about the exciting opportunities in the energy transition sector, as well as the various career pathways and tools available to support professional growth.

Cohort 1 participant

Upskilling Breaking Barriers staff began in November 2024, with the first energy transition cohort kicking off in February this year, centred around the theme of Engineering, Architecture and Construction (Built Environment), and designed to provide a blend of technical, employability and sector-specific learning experiences.  

A total of 27 clients participated in Cohort 1, including 10 engineers, eight clients with construction experience, four architects, and four tradespeople. Participants benefitted from an employability skills workshop, run by Shell volunteers, focused on enhancing transferable skills. They also gained insights on company values, job vacancies and tips for securing employment, during an Employer Insight Session with Shell UK, John Crane (Smiths Group), The Crown Estate, Cummins and Atkins Realis.  

City and Guilds led a Health and Safety workshop, aimed at helping participants obtain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card, which is required to work on construction sites. Other Cohort 1 sessions included a Sustainable Construction workshop and two speed coaching events that offered personalised careers advice.  

One participant told us: “It was truly inspiring to learn about the exciting opportunities in the energy transition sector, as well as the various career pathways and tools available to support professional growth. The session was incredibly insightful, and I’m grateful for the valuable knowledge shared.”  

Breaking Barriers’ Jobs and Training Coordinator, Summer Knight confirmed that the Powering Refugee Employment programme has already had an incredible impact on our clients. She said: “Some clients were shortlisted for interviews for companies that presented during the programme and many clients said that they felt more confident when applying for roles, as they have an up-to-date understanding of the sector.” 

Summer believes there is huge value in sector-specific employment programmes: “There is real benefit to doing things this way and I am looking forward to seeing more clients positively impacted by programmes such as this one, with the future programmes we are running alongside Shell UK.” 

 

Shell UK’s role  

Collaboration across industry and sectors will be vital in addressing skills gaps and building energy systems of the future.  

The Powering Refugee Employment programme with Breaking Barriers is one of several that Shell UK invests in, as part of its SkillsTransition programme. These aim to bolster initiatives led by further education colleges, charities, community groups and skills bodies to help people into employment, develop relevant skills, as well as provide support for entrepreneurs and energy startups.  

Anthony Harte, Head of Social Impact at Shell UK, said: “Shell UK has been working with Breaking Barriers since 2022, supporting its employment and education programmes. Together, we have supported hundreds of refugees as they work toward their long-term employment goals.  

“Our Skills Transition programme is a national ambition to support 15,000 people into jobs, with a focus on energy transition, by 2035. We are excited to be working with Breaking Barriers, and through this partnership we hope to support 320 refugees into employment, education and training, including 60 into energy transition roles.  

“Shell volunteers will be working directly with Breaking Barriers’ clients to provide employability workshops, support with building CVs, and sharing industry insights on the energy sector. This opportunity will enable us to nurture the talent, knowledge and skills, benefitting Breaking Barriers’ clients, and the energy industry alike.” 

So far, as a result of Cohort 1 of the Powering Refugee Employment programme, one Breaking Barriers client has already secured paid employment as an architect, actualising his dream of resuming his career in his chosen profession. Meanwhile, nine clients have gained valuable training outcomes. 

“I learnt more about the huge untapped potential within the renewable energy industry and the holistic approach major companies like Shell are taking toward net zero and the UN Sustainability Goals,” said one programme participant.  

“This inspired me to begin the BREEAM AP course to deepen my knowledge of energy efficiency regulations and sustainability assessment. Moreover, I found the interview preparation workshop facilitated by Shell’s experts very insightful; special thanks to Rachel, a Shell volunteer, for offering practical strategic advice for transitioning into the UK job market.” 

Cohort 2, focussing on Sustainable Technology and IT, is now underway, and we look forward to seeing the achievements of our clients through this transformative partnership.  

 

*The Local Government Association estimates that by 2050 there will be 1.18 million net zero jobs available in the UK.

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