Global study addresses skills deficit, perceived barriers in energy’s young workforce

Seventy-four percent of young people across key international energy markets would consider a career in the energy sector but highlight the perceived requirement for technical qualifications and lack of understanding of opportunities as preventative.

With talent acquisition continuing to be a huge industry challenge, the global research project “Energy Sector Entry and the Perceived Barriers” was commissioned by OPITO, the global skills authority for the energy industry. The not-for-profit organization has published the full results in an exclusive report highlighting the research undertaken in major global energy hubs: the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Brazil and the U.S., to better understand young people’s perceived barriers to entering the energy sector.

The report findings clearly identify young people’s perceived barriers to joining the sector as: the requirement for specialist industry qualifications and certifications; a lack of knowledge about the industry and the opportunities it offers; and a requirement to have a STEM-based education.

Key findings:

• 45% of respondents indicated a high level of familiarity with employment opportunities in the energy sector
• 42% saw a need for special qualifications or certifications as the most significant barrier to entry
• 52% were most encouraged to consider energy careers due to good pay

In the last decade, the energy sector has been faced with a skills deficit on a global level, with international recruitment agencies such as Adecco identifying the core reasons as: an ageing workforce; technological advancements that many upskilling programs can’t keep up with; and a lack of awareness for the opportunities the sector has to offer.

“OPITO work globally supporting workforce development and we are seeing first-hand the struggles to recruit at all levels across the energy mix,” said Stephen Marcos Jones, CEO of OPITO. “As nations across the globe look to meet ambitious climate targets, the need for a diverse and sustainable energy mix is more pressing than ever. We must ensure that relevant skills across more mature sectors are applied properly to emerging areas, and that the workforce can see tangible and realistic pathways put in place for them. These complex, multi-phase projects that we need to build a secure energy future will not happen without the right workers in the right numbers. That is why appealing to the younger generations, and modernizing attraction practices, is also core to success.

“In commissioning this research, we have gained valuable insights into the barriers young people identify, particularly around technical qualifications and limited sector knowledge. Both collaboratively as an industry and at a localized recruitment level we can use this information to work with project and industry partners to break down these barriers and drive young people towards careers in the energy sector.”

“We are proud to invest significantly in global STEM initiatives through My Energy Future powered by OPITO, which aims to inspire and attract young talent to the energy workforce,” said Alex Spencer, Chief Operating Officer at OPITO. “Understanding this data and being able to share it with the industry to demonstrate awareness of the challenges in attracting new talent into the industry, is a vital next step for OPITO in supporting the sector to adapt its approach and develop innovative recruitment strategies.”

My Energy Future are continuing their sponsorship of the Young ADIPEC zone this year, launching a new VR experience that showcases the energy mix through a variety of traditional, clean and renewable energy sources. The interactive experience sees users explore various assets and answer questions about the energy transition, while exploring the opportunities the transition has to offer.

In addition, OPITO CEO Stephen Marcos Jones is taking part in a podcast interview hosted in the Young ADIPEC zone where he’ll be discussing the development of skills and technology for a sustainable energy future and the report findings in more depth. Other podcast panelists include senior representatives from ADNOC Technical Academy and Saudi Arabia Drilling Academy.

ADIPEC 2024 is happening this week November 4 – 7 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The full OPITO report can be viewed here.