ECA Today

A new Sussex skills alliance has been launched to help tackle electrical workforce shortages and strengthen the region’s pipeline of qualified electrotechnical talent. The Sussex Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliance (ETCA), led by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), brings employers, colleges, manufacturers and skills bodies together to close the gap between local training provision and industry demand.

For 125 years, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has empowered businesses to grow and thrive. As it celebrates this milestone, ECA is highlighting the value of what it means to be an ECA Member. ECA Members are trusted businesses that have achieved the highest levels of certification and technical competence, assuring their clients the quality of their work. They also recognise that investing in training and development is key to their success.

Britain’s water sector faces a growing crisis that could slow the delivery of vital infrastructure upgrades unless industry acts now, the Electrotechnical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has warned. The warning follows an ECA industry Roundtable, where contractors, training specialists, and water sector representatives highlighted acute shortages in specialist electrical skills are becoming a major barrier to safe, compliant and resilient project delivery.

Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) Members can now access a specialist construction insurance scheme offered by Tysers. Members who request a quote will also be entered automatically into a prize draw to win £2,000 to spend on ECA Growth Hub courses. The scheme is intended to help Members arrange cover for their workforce, projects and operations, with several types of insurance available. Employers’ liability insurance — mandatory if you employ staff or subcontractors.

On Monday 28 September, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), JTL Training and the Electrotechnical Joint Industry Board (JIB) hosted an evening reception in Liverpool during Labour Party Conference.

Remi Newman from Essex Services Group Ltd has been named as the winner of the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year 2026, recognising her as one of the UK’s most outstanding apprentices in the electrotechnical and engineering services sector. In an Awards luncheon held Wednesday 16 September, at Trinity House in London, three finalists were joined by their employers and stakeholders from across the sector to celebrate their achievements.

The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) is inviting Members to apply for a vacancy on the ECA Ltd Board as a Non-Executive Director. The role offers an opportunity for an experienced individual from an ECA Registered Member business to help shape the trade association’s commercial direction, financial strength and long-term success. The Board oversees the financial and commercial interests of the ECA Group, including resources, market investments and returns from subsidiary companies.

Employment law is changing quickly, and electrical contractors need to understand the practical implications to ensure their businesses are prepared. Since April 2026, employers have already had to respond to changes including day-one Statutory Sick Pay, increased family friendly rights, stronger enforcement through the new Fair Work Agency and increased penalties for non-compliance. Further reforms are expected from October 2026, with more changes due throughout 2027.

Electrical contractors have shared practical feedback and advice with government and trade unions on how publicly funded home upgrades can support skilled, secure and well-paid jobs. The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) brought together electrical contractors of different sizes in two Member forums with representatives from the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce (Taskforce). They discussed what good employment looks like and the practical issues that should shape future standards.

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has joined a broad coalition of businesses, consumer groups, charities, energy companies and industry bodies in calling on the Chancellor to reduce electricity costs by moving policy levies from household and business electricity bills to general taxation. In a joint letter to the Chancellor, signatories warn that the UK faces some of the highest electricity prices in the developed world, with prices standing around 45% above the G7 median.