Businesses, education providers, and local authorities have launched a new Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliance (ETCA) for Hampshire and Solent, with the aim of addressing regional skills shortages across the electrical sector.
Developed by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), ETCAs are intended to strengthen collaboration between employers, education providers, and the wider skills sector to improve access to training and support future workforce development.
Representatives met at Solent University on 14 July 2026 to establish the alliance’s initial priorities, focusing on skills shortages identified in the Hampshire & Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).
The launch follows continued concerns over skills shortages across the construction, engineering, and building services sectors. ECA recently contributed to a Fabian Society report highlighting workforce pressures and the role of apprenticeships in helping to develop a skilled workforce.
Priorities for regional workforce development
The Hampshire and Solent ETCA has agreed to focus on strengthening collaboration between employers, training providers, and manufacturers; increasing awareness of the alliance; and providing clearer guidance on training routes and pathways to competence.
The alliance says these measures are intended to improve access to electrotechnical training, raise awareness of careers in the sector, and help more people progress into qualified roles. It also aims to support Hampshire’s future housing, infrastructure, clean energy, and wider economic growth.
Keith Sanderson, Head of Education and Skills at ECA, comments, “We are pleased to introduce this new ETCA covering the Hampshire and Solent region, where strengthening the local skills system is a key priority, as set out in the recently published 2026–2029 LSIP.
“ECA’s Electrical Skills Index 2026 revealed [that] many areas of Hampshire and Solent experienced low and very low apprentices starts for the 2024/2025 academic year, highlighting a key area of opportunity to enhance skills provision and support growth of the electrical industry across the region.”
Mandy Boughton, President and LSIP Partnership Consultant at Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, adds, “Electrical apprentice starts in Hampshire and the Solent have nearly halved in recent years, whilst nationally we’ve lost almost 45,000 electricians since 2019.
“This poses a significant risk to some of our key sectors such as defence, maritime, construction, and aerospace.
“This new alliance between the Hampshire Chamber, ECA, and key regional stakeholders is an important collaboration, bringing everyone together to address a shortage our LSIP research has identified as critical.”
Organisations represented at the launch included electrical contractors, colleges, universities, industry bodies, manufacturers, the Ministry of Defence, NICEIC, The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP), the Joint Industry Board (JIB), and Unite the Union.
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