The number of jobs in the UK’s offshore wind industry might reach 100,000 by 2030.
A new analysis that was released recently by the Offshore Wind Sector Council is predicting that the number of jobs in the United Kingdom’s offshore wind industry might increase to almost 100,000 by the year 2030, from its current level of 31,000.(OWIC).
According to the research titled “UK Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report,” 31,000 actually represents an increase of 16 percent when compared to the 26,000 jobs that were recorded in the survey from the previous year. It was stated that 19,600 of these are from offshore wind business alone, and that there are a further 11,500 indirect jobs in the supply chain.. The survey shows that thirty percent of those employed are situated in Scotland, and a further fifteen percent of the jobs can be found in Yorkshire and the Humber, which is the English region that will profit the most from this.
Strong growth is being predicted by the study; by the year 2030, this sector would be responsible for the employment of more than 97,000 individuals in the UK (61,000 direct jobs and 36,000 indirect). It also predicts the sector will benefit from £155 billion (or 181 billion euros) of private investment in new offshore wind projects between the years 2022 and 2030. This will bring the average annual spend to over £17 billion.. These forecast gains are a reflection of the massive expansion of the whole pipeline of offshore wind projects in the United Kingdom over the past 12 months. The total pipeline currently stands at 86GW, which is an increase of 60 percent.
Auctions for Contracts for Difference, which were previously held once every two years, will now take place annually in order to hasten the transition to renewable power and increase the energy security of the United Kingdom. This is one of the factors.
The survey also reveals that the percentage of women working in offshore wind has climbed somewhat, from the previous year’s reported 18 percent to the current year’s reported 19.25 percent. Apprentices make up 2 percent of the workforce, a rise of barely 0.2 percent from a year earlier due mostly to the impact of the pandemic. This brings the industry closer to its aim of 2.5 percent, which is the proportion of apprentices that should be employed.
The report also highlighted the necessity of addressing the risk of recruitment gaps by introducing measures to increase the number of people with high-level electrical and digital skills entering this innovative sector in order to meet current and future demand.. Melanie Onn, who is the deputy chief executive of RenewableUK, is in charge of OWIC’s People & Skills workstream. Onn made the following statement:
‘’The United Kingdom’s offshore wind sector is a driving force in the country’s job market. I’ve witnessed with my own eyes how my hometown of Grimsby is being revolutionised as a result of this vibrant industry, which is pouring billions of dollars of investment from the private sector into coastal villages all along the coast of the nation.
This report shows that we are making rapid progress in seizing the economic benefits of the Green Industrial Revolution, and that we’ll need to continue growing quickly to ensure that we meet the government’s target of 50GW of offshore wind by 2030 – a fivefold increase in our current capacity.. Because of this, it is essential for businesses and the government to collaborate in order to address shortages of skills in fields such as electrical engineering and data analysis. This will allow us to increase the number of high-quality green jobs available in offshore wind energy throughout the remainder of this decade.’’
Danielle Lane, national manager for Vattenfall in the United Kingdom and co-chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Consortium (OWIC), stated that “The government’s Energy Security Strategy puts offshore wind at the core of our future green energy system. We are collaborating closely with the Ministers in order to pull out all the stops in order to construct critical new green energy infrastructure projects as quickly as feasible in order to increase the energy independence of the United Kingdom. The key to expediting our transition to clean electricity that is generated here in the United States is to bring in a wide variety of skilled individuals to work in this area.”
“This analysis highlights the remarkable potential of renewable energy to create employment, stimulate investment, and secure cheaper, cleaner power,” said Greg Hands, the UK Energy Minister. As the United Kingdom strives to become a leader in renewable energy production on a worldwide scale, we have lofty goals to go even further.
“Today’s UK Offshore Wind Skills Intelligence Report indicates that over a third (30 percent) of the country’s offshore wind employment are in Scotland,” said Charlotte Stamper, senior policy manager for Scottish Renewables. As a result of recent announcements, 25GW of projects have been granted licences to develop in Scottish seas, which is an increase from the current 1GW.
“The benefits to Scottish communities that stem from this will be transformational. Projects that were recently awarded seabed leases have committed to investing in Scotland, and more specifically in businesses that are a part of the supply chain, on a scale that has never been seen before in any sector. This investment will revitalise towns from the Borders to the islands, create tens of thousands of skilled jobs, and allow Scottish companies to compete on the global offshore wind market.
To find out how Jonathan Lee Recruitment can assist you with your renewables recruitment contact Lee Elwell, or alternatively, you can look through our open Energy jobs!
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