Electrical apprenticeship starts have fallen over the past year despite surging demand for such skills, according to new analysis by sthe Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA).
The ECA’s 2026 Electrical Skills Index, published on 9 February, says the number of electrical apprenticeship starts fell by 5.5%, bucking an overall rise in those beginning apprenticeships.
The index shows that interest in electrical careers continues to grow with more than 26,000 learners enrolling on government-funded, classroom-based electrical courses in 2024/25 – up ‘significantly’ from previous years.
However, this interest is not converting into qualified electricians, with fewer than one in five learners on those courses progressing into an electrical apprenticeship or skilled employment within 12 months.
The three regions most affected by electrical skills shortages are Greater London, the North West and the West Midlands.
In addition, the East Midlands, South West, South East and Greater London regions saw an average 8% fall in electrical apprenticeship starts last year compared with 2022/23. This fall was despite an average 16% increase in government-funded course enrolments over the same period in these regions.
Luke Cook, ECA skills deputy chair, said: ‘The electrical skills gap is no longer a future risk, it is a live and growing threat to the delivery of electrification. Demand for electricians is surging, but the number of people entering the industry through apprenticeships is going backwards.’
