New Research to Explore Workforce Pathways for Heat Decarbonisation in Scotland
BE-ST is leading a new research project to examine how Scotland can develop the workforce needed to deliver domestic heat decarbonisation.
This new project between BE-ST and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) builds on research delivered by both earlier this year. This previous research report, named Pathways to Productivity, looked at how to support future skills planning in the Scottish construction sector.
Pathways to Productivity, published in March 2026, explored how the construction sector can improve productivity by attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a new generation of skilled workers. The report sets out how Scotland can strengthen the flow of new entrants into the construction and built environment workforce, helping ensure the sector has the people and skills needed to deliver against the country’s future house building and net zero ambitions.
One of its key findings was that there is strong employer demand for exploring alternative entry pathways into a number of occupations, particularly those occupations supporting the transition to low carbon heating and cooling. As demand for low carbon heating and cooling systems grows, the sector will require more people with the skills to install, commission, maintain and support these technologies. This new research will build on these findings in the Pathways to Productivity report to examine whether additional pathways into these heat decarbonisation roles specifically could help increase workforce capacity while maintaining competence, quality and safety.
The project will produce an independent evidence base to inform future discussions between industry, government and skills partners. Rather than recommending a preferred model, it will assess a range of options, outlining their potential benefits, limitations and implications for future decision-making.
The research will also:
Examine current entry routes into domestic heat decarbonisation roles and identify factors that may limit workforce growth;
Review international approaches in comparable markets;
Explore how different pathways could influence workforce supply and time taken to achieve competence;
Consider a range of possible models, including work-based learning and structured competence development;
And identify the skills, knowledge and assurance requirements needed to maintain high standards of competence, safety and consumer confidence.
The findings will help inform future workforce planning as Scotland continues to scale delivery of domestic heat decarbonisation.
The Pathways to Productivity report’s Executive Summary can be read here.
Douglas Morrison, Deputy CEO at BE-ST said:
"Pathways to Productivity identified a clear appetite from many employers to explore different ways of bringing people into the workforce, particularly in areas where demand is expected to grow rapidly.
"This next phase of the research will build on what was found and provide an independent evidence base to help industry, government and skills partners understand what options could be available, what the trade-offs are, and what would be needed to ensure competence remains central to any future approach so that Scotland is making informed decisions about how we develop the workforce needed for the transition to low carbon heating."
Elaine Ellis, Skills Planning Manager Construction and Net Zero at Skills Development Scotland said:
“The success of heat decarbonisation will depend heavily on the availability of a skilled and competent workforce. It is clear from the Pathways to Productivity research that only relying on “what we have always done” will not build the workforce needed for heat decarbonisation both in terms of scale or skills. This research will explore the art of the possible and look at what can be done to improve pathways into heat decarbonisation to allow the sector to train for the high level of skills needed, at the volume and pace needed.”
