A new apprenticeship unit aimed at boosting the UK’s battery manufacturing workforce has been launched.

Developed by Skills England through its Investment and Infrastructure Skills Service, the initiative follows consultation with industry leaders, including global battery firm Agratas, as well as employers and academic experts.

The new training unit comes as Agratas continues construction of a major gigafactory near Bridgwater. The facility is expected to generate more than £700 million annually for the South West economy and create around 4,000 jobs once fully operational.

Batteries are playing an increasingly vital role across the UK economy, powering technologies from electric vehicles, mobile devices to national infrastructure such as the grid and rail networks. Strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities is seen as key to improving national resilience and supporting the transition to net zero.

The newly launched apprenticeship unit will form part of the government’s Growth and Skills Levy offer. It has been designed in response to industry concerns that existing battery manufacturing apprenticeships were too long and broad to meet urgent workforce demands.

To address this, Skills England convened a design workshop in February with the Electrification Skills Network and representatives from battery clusters in the North East and West Midlands. Further consultations with Agratas and other stakeholders led to the creation of a shorter, more targeted course based on employer-designed occupational standards.

The initiative is seen as a timely intervention as the UK scales up renewable energy and electric vehicle production. The Bridgwater gigafactory will produce sustainable lithium-ion batteries, supporting the country’s net zero ambitions.