C-DICE roadmap
A five-year plan for the advanced skills requirements for net zero by 2050
Why was the C-DICE roadmap created?
The roadmap was developed to address a critical gap in the net zero transition: the need for a highly skilled workforce beyond technical and installer roles. Researchers, specialists, managers, and leaders are essential to drive innovation, shape strategy, and lead a fair and effective shift to net zero.
The roadmap highlights these roles and supports their development – ensuring the transition is both ambitious and achievable.
The Grand Challenge
The C-DICE Grand Challenge set out to explore three key questions:
- What skills does industry need for the net zero transition?
- How can our PhD and postdoc community help meet these needs?
- Do we need to rethink how we develop early career researchers to better align with industry demands?
In December 2023, we brought together representatives from industry, academia, funders, and government to share their insights. These perspectives were distilled into 12 core challenges, which were then prioritised.
From these challenges, a series of actionable tasks were identified to drive meaningful change and guide the development of higher-level skills for the net zero transition.
The roadmap
These actionable tasks form the foundation of a five-year roadmap for change.
Roadmap launch
On 12 November 2024, we officially launched the roadmap with a panel of senior representatives from industry, academia, and government. Speakers included:
- Frances Burstow, Director of Talent and Skills, UKRI
- Julie Maykels, Head of Learning and Skills, Rolls-Royce SMR
- Debbie Johnson, Head of Innovation Talent and Skills, Innovate UK
Watch the 1 minute video
Thank you to all the representatives from industry, academia, and government whose insights and contributions have shaped the roadmap.