The IOR Education Outreach Project Manager, Matt Harvey, recently attended the launch of the new the Policy Connect and Skills Commission report ‘Earning or Learning: A New Agenda for Youth NEET Reduction’. Read on to find out more about the key takeaways and why this report matters for the RACHP sector.

The event, held in Westminster, brought together government representatives, education leaders, employers, awarding organisations, and industry stakeholders to discuss one of the UK’s most urgent workforce challenges — reducing the number of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).  

The report draws on evidence from more than 200 stakeholders across education, skills, local government, employers, and youth organisations, alongside written submissions and direct engagement with young people. It aims to create a practical roadmap to reduce NEET levels and improve pathways into employment, education, and training for young people across the UK.  

For the Institute of Refrigeration and the wider RACHP sector, the discussion was highly relevant. As industries across engineering, construction, and low-carbon technologies continue to experience critical skills shortages, the need to engage and support young people into meaningful careers has never been more important.

One of the strongest themes throughout the event was the importance of accessible technical and vocational routes. The report highlighted the need for stronger employer engagement, improved apprenticeships, better work experience opportunities, and more flexible pathways for young people who face barriers to employment or education.  

For the RACHP sector, this directly aligns with many of the workforce challenges already being experienced across refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump industries. The transition to net zero, increased demand for sustainable cooling technologies, and continued growth in heat pump deployment all require a stronger pipeline of skilled engineers, technicians, installers, and future leaders.

The event also reinforced the importance of early intervention and careers engagement. Many young people remain unaware of the opportunities available within engineering and building services, despite the sector offering stable careers, long-term progression, and the chance to contribute directly to sustainability and decarbonisation goals. Greater collaboration between employers, schools, colleges, and professional bodies will therefore be essential in raising awareness and inspiring future talent.

Another key takeaway was the need for more inclusive and flexible pathways into work and training. Discussions focused on supporting young people with additional barriers, including those with caring responsibilities, disabilities, mental health challenges, or limited access to opportunities.   This presents an important opportunity for the RACHP sector to widen participation, strengthen outreach activity, and ensure career pathways are accessible to individuals from all backgrounds.

The report also highlighted the importance of local coordination, employer collaboration, and industry-led solutions to workforce development. Employers were encouraged to take a more active role in shaping careers education, providing meaningful industry experiences, and supporting long-term workforce planning.  

For IOR members, the event served as a reminder that the future success of the RACHP industry depends on collective action. Supporting STEM engagement, promoting apprenticeships, offering work experience placements, engaging with local education partnerships, and championing technical careers are all practical ways the sector can help address future workforce challenges.

The RACHP sector has a significant opportunity to position itself as a career destination for the next generation — particularly as demand for sustainable cooling and heating solutions continues to grow. However, attracting future talent will require stronger collaboration, improved visibility of career opportunities, and continued investment in skills development across the industry.

The IOR remains committed to supporting workforce development, education engagement, and industry collaboration to help ensure the sector has the skilled professionals needed for the future, through continued STEM outreach activities that inspire young people to explore careers within refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pumps, alongside collaborative action through the Industry Skills Alliance, which brings together employers, training providers, colleges, manufacturers, and industry partners to address long-term workforce challenges and strengthen future talent pipelines across the RACHP sector.

The full report can be found here