In a groundbreaking move towards fostering collaboration between the offshore wind and oil & gas sectors, industry leaders have unveiled plans for a prototype “energy skills passport,” aimed at facilitating the recognition of expertise and training across both domains.
RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) jointly announced the initiative, envisioning the passport as a tool to showcase workers' qualifications and expertise, thereby enabling seamless recognition by employers in both sectors.
A diverse cross-sector partnership, including OEUK, RenewableUK, OPITO, Global Wind Organisation, government representatives, trade unions, and industry employers, has spearheaded the project, leveraging collective expertise to ensure its efficacy.
Backed by £3.7 million in funding from the Scottish government's Just Transition Fund to OPITO, the project underscores Scotland's commitment to facilitating the offshore energy transition, given its pivotal role in the sector.
At the heart of the passport project lies the alignment of technical qualifications, mapping safety standards, establishing career pathways, and facilitating a mutual understanding of recognized standards among employers and employees.
The initiative holds promise for the broader energy landscape, offering workers fluidity across diverse sectors, from oil & gas to specialized roles in wind energy and beyond. This mobility not only safeguards the UK's indigenous energy industry but also expedites the transition to cleaner energy sources.
With thousands of skilled workers in the UK oil & gas sector facing an anticipated decline in the coming decades, the burgeoning offshore wind industry emerges as a beacon of opportunity, already employing 32,000 individuals, a figure set to soar beyond 100,000 by 2030.
Industry projections suggest that the total number of jobs in energy production could reach 211,000 by 2030, with the passport poised to play a pivotal role in facilitating this transition while aiding the UK and devolved nations in meeting their net-zero targets.
RenewableUK's Executive Director of Offshore Wind, Jane Cooper, underscored the commitment to facilitating workforce transition, emphasizing the need to attract oil & gas professionals with transferable skills into the renewable energy sector.
Katy Heidenreich, OEUK's Supply Chain and People Director, emphasized the importance of skilled personnel in driving the transition to a sustainable energy future, emphasizing the passport's role in enabling cross-sector mobility.
Gillian Martin, Scottish Government Minister for Climate Action, hailed the initiative's role in supporting the transition to renewable energy sources, urging industry partners to expedite the development and implementation of the passport.
