Empowering the Renewables Workforce: Recommendations for Addressing the Skills Challenge
As the Year of Skills is coming to an end, Bioenergy Europe with the other 27 partners of the Renewable Energy Skills Partnership identified 4 priorities and 18 policy recommendations to tackle the skills shortage and build a future ready workforce.
The paper emphasizes the vital importance of skills in the green transition. The European Union has set the ambitious goal of achieving at least 42.5% renewables by 2030, with an additional 2.5% as an indicative target, reaching this goal is possible only with a qualified workforce. Among renewables, bioenergy significantly impacts the job market. In 2019, bioenergy supported 964,258 full-time equivalent jobs (FTE), with the potential to reach 1,578,668 FTE by 2050, highlighting its substantial impact on job creation within the renewable energy sector.
Nevertheless, current national policies fail to provide adequate incentives for prospective workers in key renewable sectors. For an effective and timely transition, workers will need to develop new skills, and be ready to adapt and work with new, emerging technologies. For this reason, signatories underline the importance of a coordinated EU effort to address these workforce challenges. The calls are summarised in 4 priority areas and 18 policy recommendations to be implemented immediately to support this transition.
- Prioritise renewable energy skills and workforce building in policymaking
- Boost the visibility and attractiveness of technical, scientific, and engineering careers in the renewables sector
- Foster recognition and mobility in educational pathways and the job market
- Ensure a strong and swift response to skills needs
As we approach the closing of the European Year of Skills, implementing these recommendations is crucial to meet the EU’s renewable energy targets and support sustainable growth.
