Recent findings suggest an upward trend in the opportunities for those working in sustainability and renewable energy sectors. A 2024 report by the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) found that the renewable energy industry is to grow significantly in the coming seven years as it is projected to see the addition of 10 million jobs. This projected growth comes after LinkedIn's global green skills report highlighted that the share of green talent rose by 38.5% from 2015 to 2021, demonstrating the upward trend in the industry. With many countries shifting their focus to renewable power following December 2023's COP28, experts suggest that the renewable energy sector will see accelerated growth in the coming years and increased sustainability-focused roles.
Increased opportunities:
A recent report published by the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) provides insights into the opportunities available in renewable energy and the projected growth of the sector. Rising support from global organisations and governments for the renewable energy sector is cited as a driving force for the projected increase in opportunities. This support, paired with the historic call made at COP28 in December 2023 to transition away from fossil fuels, has fueled interest in renewable energies globally.
Among the forms of renewable energy listed in the article, solar power was highlighted as one of the leading forms of job generation. This is due to substantial investment in solar energies and the roles they can generate in the areas of manufacturing and installation, to name a few.
The report notes the opportunities presented by other forms of renewable energy, such as wind power. This form of renewable energy requires highly skilled workers to install, operate, and maintain wind farms. Therefore, wind power service technicians are in high demand.
What does this mean for contractors?
Recent trends and the findings outlined in the report indicate that there will be a solid range of opportunities for those working in the engineering field. Highly skilled contractors are predicted to see more demand for their services in solar manufacturing, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, service technicians for wind turbines and much more. With the expected growth in demand for skilled engineers and technicians, there will be exciting opportunities for contractors within the renewable energy sector.
Similarly, demand for workers with green skills has risen, as evidenced by LinkedIn's Global Green Skills Report 2023. The report highlighted that in 12 months between February 2022 and February 2023, there was a median growth of 15.2% in jobs posted on the platform requiring at least one green skill. In Europe, the number of workers with skills in corporate sustainability, climate education, carbon accounting, and climate action planning has increased.
Current shortages in talent:
Despite the rise in opportunities in the renewable energy sector, it is essential to note that the SIA report highlights concerns from energy corporations globally on sourcing skilled talent due to skills shortages. Organisations in the renewable energy industry may find themselves competing with others to secure skilled workers from a talent pool that experiences a shortage of appropriately qualified and skilled candidates. This shortage of skilled candidates is often evidenced in areas such as wind power. Wind turbine service technicians are in high demand and often difficult to find.
The lack of skilled talent can also be observed in other industries where organisations seek candidates with green skills for sustainability roles. Recently, the Irish Examiner reported findings from data from Indeed that employers in Ireland have been struggling to fill open roles that are green/sustainability-focused. The data provided by Indeed highlighted an increase in demand for these roles, with a 93% increase in sustainability/green jobs posted in Ireland since 2019. However, the article highlights that employers struggle to find skilled candidates to fill the abovementioned roles (33%) and convey uncertainty as to where to find suitable candidates (28%).
In conclusion:
While globally, opportunities within the renewable energy sector and opportunities for those with green skills are seeing growing demand, current skills shortages present challenges for hiring organisations and companies trying to fill open roles. However, the high demand presents opportunities for skilled contractors or those who wish to reskill and transition into a different role within these sectors.
If you are a contractor working in sustainability or the renewable energy sector, please do not hesitate to contact our team today.
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