A new UK Offshore Energy Workforce Transferability Review by Robert Gordon University (RGU) has highlighted that the UK offshore energy workforce mix will change significantly in the next 10 years.
The review envisages that jobs in offshore renewables will rise from 20 percent of the sector’s roles in 2021 to around 65 percent by 2030. It also outlines that around 200,000 skilled people will be required in the UK offshore energy industry to ensure delivery in 2030. Around 160,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in the UK offshore energy sector in 2021, the review shows.
Of the 200,000 people projected to be directly and indirectly employed in the UK offshore energy sector by 2030, 90,000 are expected to support offshore wind, 70,000 oil and gas, and 40,000 other offshore related energy projects and clusters. More than 90 percent of the UK’s oil and gas workforce have medium to high skills transferability and are well positioned to work in adjacent energy sectors, according to the review, which calls for the UK and devolved governments to work together with the industry and further and higher education sector to ensure the managed transition of skills and experience in a way that protects and sustains key UK energy jobs.
The review notes that around 100,000 of the jobs in 2030 are projected to be filled by people transferring from existing oil and gas jobs to offshore renewable roles, new graduates, and new recruitment from outside the existing UK offshore energy sector. Roughly 80 percent of the jobs in 2030 are envisaged to be in the following sectors, according to the review; operations, technicians, engineering, projects, commercial/business development/marketing, procurement/supply chain management, finance, HR, and HSE.
RGU’s latest publication warns that the impact of a reduced ambition, combined with lower activity level and accelerated decline in the oil and gas industry, could reduce the offshore energy workforce requirements to fewer than 140,000 jobs by 2030.
“This review highlights the material prize for the UK,” Paul de Leeuw, the director of the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University and the Review’s lead author, said in an organization statement.
“Successful delivery of the UK and the devolved governments’ energy transition ambitions has the opportunity to secure around 200,000 jobs in 2030 for the offshore energy workforce. With the overall number of jobs in the UK oil and gas industry projected to decline over time, the degree of transferability of jobs to adjacent energy sectors such as offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen or other industrial sectors will be key to ensuring the UK retains its world class skills and capabilities,” de Leeuw added in the statement.
“With many of the skills and competencies required for the offshore energy sector to be highly interchangeable, the energy transition offers a unique opportunity to create a new world class net zero energy workforce,” he went on to say.
OGUK Workforce and Skills Manager Alix Thom said, “[the] report from Robert Gordon University recognizes the positive impact our industry’s transition to net zero will have on our people, their jobs, and the energy communities across the UK”.
“Within our workforce exists the skills and expertise to deliver the solutions we need to make our net zero ambitions a reality. We welcome RGU’s findings … showing that the overwhelming majority of roles within our industry are well positioned to transfer into adjacent lower carbon roles if necessary action is taken,” Thom added.
“Many companies in our industry are already active in renewable energy, and this report confirms that our changing industry will continue to support jobs in communities across the UK for many years to come,” the OGUK representative continued.
UK Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said, “we have a world leading offshore energy sector in Scotland and across the UK with a proven mix of critical skills, which are essential to the success of the energy industry”.
“Through our leading North Sea Transition Deal, we set out how we will make certain we have an energy skills base in the UK that is fit for the future, while our Green Jobs Taskforce will advise on how we can create the broader skilled workforce to deliver net zero by 2050,” Trevelyan added.
“The review rightly recognises the need to support the skills transition. The UK Government is committed to working with all relevant agencies in a way that develops the full potential of the energy industry,” Trevelyan continued.
The RGU’s review was conducted by RGU’s Energy Transition Institute between October 2020 and May 2021. For the purpose of the review, the offshore energy industry comprises oil and gas, offshore wind, CCUS, hydrogen and associated onshore support activities. Workforce numbers quoted in the report reflect full-time equivalent roles.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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