The government’s recent 2025/26 Budget signals a decisive shift in the UK’s energy strategy. While last year’s Budget focused on setting policy frameworks and outlining long-term ambitions for low-carbon projects, this year’s announcements have moved into the delivery phase. This transition, from policy design to project launch, has important consequences for investment decisions, project timelines and the recruitment landscape, particularly within specialists areas such as EC&I (Electrical, Control and Instrumentation) roles and means that there’s now an urgent demand for skilled professionals in the run-up to 2026.
Comparing last year’s commitments with this year’s direction
The 2024-25 Budget contained measures designed to stimulate private investment in low-carbon infrastructure. These included the introduction of the National Wealth Fund, government-backed financing for nuclear development, support for hydrogen production, carbon capture projects and large-scale grid reinforcements as part of the UK’s net-zero transition. Much of the discussion centred on identifying future funding pathways and introducing regulatory reforms intended to give the industry long-term confidence.
By contrast, this year’s Budget provided firmer operational commitments. The government has now confirmed a £14.2 billion majority public stake in Sizewell C, continued capital allocation for the wider nuclear programme and a more precise roadmap for advancing small modular reactors (SMRs). At the same time, Ofgem has announced tens of billions of pounds for gas and electricity network upgrades, with an initial £28 billion of investment, to connect renewables and new energy generation.
Taken together, these steps move several major projects forward, from planning into procurement and early works. This commencement is central to understanding how the new investments will affect talent during 2026.
The impact on energy investment and project timelines.
As government policy turns into action, developers and Tier-1 contractors can begin to finalise contracts, secure funding and order long-lead equipment. For nuclear and grid projects, these steps usually occur before any on-site activity and before demand for specialist engineering skills rises. This leads to a tighter, faster project cycle. EC&I packages often accelerate once civil works are begun. Work such as control system design, protection and control schemes, instrumentation installation, commissioning and grid integration quickly becomes time-critical.
Given the scale of the current investment pipeline, 2026 is likely to see high demand across several major projects simultaneously. The UK’s nuclear plans, along with the grid upgrades needed for effective new power generation, will increase competition for EC&I project engineers, commissioning specialists, PLC/SCADA engineers, and protection and control professionals.
The implications for recruitment and talent pipelines in 2026
The UK already has a shortage of experienced EC&I engineers. With several major projects underway within the same timeframe, employers will likely face intensified competition for candidates with relevant safety-critical or regulated-industry backgrounds. Employers
We anticipate three major trends to shape the 2026 hiring environment:
Increased reliance on transferable skills – organisations will need to draw talent from sectors such as oil and gas, defence, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing. These sectors provide strong parallels for complex EC&I environments, although additional training will be required to align candidates with nuclear or grid-specific standards
Growth in blended workforces – fixed headcount alone will not be sufficient to meet demand. Many programmes will require a mix of permanent engineers, contingent talent and specialist contractors to support peak demand
Greater emphasis on regional resourcing – large infrastructure projects increasingly include local-content requirements. Employers will need to develop regional workforce strategies which will be supported by training partnerships and targeted early-career recruitment.
Industry forecasts and trade bodies are already reporting rapid jobs growth as a result of recent funding decisions. This is likely to tighten candidate markets even further in 2026.
How JAM can support project growth
We can play a central role in helping organisations to scale effectively in this growth environment. We can:
Build discipline-specific talent pools for EC&I, enabling rapid mobilisation for tight project milestones
Map client skills requirements against planned project phases, ensuring that recruitment activity aligns with procurement and commissioning schedules
Partner with training providers to link employers with apprenticeship schemes and short, upskilling ‘bootcamps’ to maintain an ongoing talent pipeline
Support regional hiring through established networks, helping employers to meet local skills obligations and community investment expectations
Offer flexible resourcing models, including blended teams (permanent, contractor and contingent labour), to enable projects to scale without over-hiring during quieter phases.
Looking ahead to 2026
The transition from last year’s policy-oriented commitments to this year’s delivery-focused Budget will have profound implications for energy sector hiring during 2026. Nuclear development, grid reinforcement and more low-carbon infrastructure will move at pace, increasing demand for specialist EC&I talent. Organisations that anticipate these requirements, tying recruitment to project timelines, investing in upskilling and partnering with specialist recruiters, will be best placed to deliver the next generation of energy projects on schedule and to the required standards.
JAM specialises in connecting skilled EC&I professionals with opportunities in the low-carbon energy sector. Contact us to discuss how we can support your hiring needs in 2026.