As the UK accelerates toward net zero, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is no longer a future ambition, it is a national priority.
In light of this, delivering large-scale decarbonisation across heavy industry, power generation and manufacturing will require not only infrastructure and investment, but a skilled, safety-competent workforce ready to operate within this rapidly evolving sector.
SIAS is proud to announce the launch of two new qualifications designed specifically to meet this challenge:
- SIAS Level 2 Award in the Introduction to Carbon Capture and Storage.
- SIAS Level 3 Award in Carbon Capture and Storage Safety
Both qualifications come with online teaching and come with online learning resources, assessment is via an externally set online multiple choice question exam.
Operational from 7th March 2026, these qualifications represent a significant step forward in developing structured, industry-aligned skills pathways for the carbon capture and storage industry.
Closing the Skills Gap in a Growing Sector
While awareness of carbon capture has grown in recent years, accessible and regulated qualifications tailored specifically to the sector have remained limited. Training provision has often been fragmented; delivered through short courses, internal employer programmes, or adapted training from adjacent industries.
The Carbon Capture Skills Framework was developed to address this challenge. It outlines the knowledge, behaviours and competencies required across the CCS value chain, from entry-level awareness through to advanced operational and safety-critical roles. Its goals are clear:
- Build a competent, future-ready CCS workforce
- Standardise knowledge expectations across the sector
- Support safe and compliant operations
- Enable progression pathways within low-carbon industries
- Strengthen UK industrial decarbonisation capability
SIAS has worked directly against this framework to design qualifications that are structured, regulated and responsive to employer need.
Developed With Industry, For Industry
These new qualifications have been developed in consultation with industry employers, technical specialists and sector stakeholders working across carbon capture, transport and storage operations.
Through employer feedback and collaborative design workshops, SIAS ensured that content reflects real-world operational demands from understanding CO₂ process hazards to recognising the critical importance of geological storage integrity and emergency response planning.
The result is a suite of qualifications that provides both foundational understanding and applied safety knowledge — equipping learners with the competence industry has identified as essential for success.
Level 2: Introduction to Carbon Capture and Storage
The SIAS Level 2 Award in the Introduction to Carbon Capture and Storage provides learners with a structured and accessible entry point into the sector. Learners will develop knowledge of:
- The UK CCS landscape and its role in achieving net-zero targets
- Industrial decarbonisation and relevant legislative frameworks
- The full CCS value chain: capture, compression, transport and storage
- Applications across key sectors
Level 3: Carbon Capture and Storage Safety
As CCS facilities scale up, safety, compliance and process integrity are paramount. The SIAS Level 3 Award in Carbon Capture and Storage Safety provides learners with the applied knowledge required to safely operate, monitor and manage CCS processes. Coverage includes:
- Hazards, risks and control measures
- CO₂ properties and process hazards
- Geological storage integrity
- Process safety management
- Emergency response planning
- Legal and regulatory frameworks governing CCS operations
Driving the Low-Carbon Skills Agenda
As an Awarding Organisation regulated in England and Northern Ireland, SIAS is committed to driving positive change across STEM and low-carbon industries.
Therefore, launching these qualifications reflects more than curriculum development, it represents a commitment from SIAS to supporting national decarbonisation, strengthening workforce capability, and empowering learners to play an active role in the transition to a sustainable future.
Click here for further information on our clean energy and green skills qualifications.
If you are interested in delivering these qualifications, please contact your partnerships and growth manager or email partnerships@siasuk.com
Together, we are #AlwaysMovingForward.
