A new OWIC report has set out that the UK offshore wind sector is expected to have in excess of 100,000 workers by the end of the decade.
But that means it needs to attract and retain 70,000 people – 10,000 people per year on average – up from its current workforce of 32,000.
The report from OWIC (Offshore Wind Industry Council), a senior government-industry forum, is not the first to set out the scale of the problem.
Earlier this year, offshore wind champion Tim Pick’s report to government noted some 100,000 workers will be needed by 2030, and highlighted concerns over skills shortages.
OWIC has called for a strategy to tackle “skills shortages in key areas” such as planning and consenting, high voltage electrical technicians, engineers, turbine technicians and those with digital skills – as identified in the Pick report.
All this comes as other energy sectors, from hydrogen and CCS to oil and gas, have similar shortages.
Jane Cooper, Director of Offshore Wind at RenewableUK, said: “Our report highlights the central role that offshore wind is playing in the UK to deliver green power. We are already supporting tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs around the country.
“However, to ensure we can meet the existing ambition, it’s essential for us to work right across our own industry, across adjacent industries with transferrable skills, and with the next generation, to make offshore wind an attractive career choice for people from the widest range of backgrounds and with a whole variety of different skill sets.”
Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary of the Prospect union, said: “If Britain wants to seize the economic benefits of renewable energy government needs to get a grip on the skills and investment crisis facing the sector.”
This is the first time a forecast has been made beyond 100,000 – OWIC estimates 104,401 people will be employed.
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