More Training Key To New Workforce In Latest Forecast

Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) have published their latest joint report forecasting the numbers of wind technicians required to construct, install, operate, and maintain (C&I and O&M) the anticipated global wind fleet up to 2028. This report highlights the opportunities for local and national governments to leverage renewable energy expansion to foster job, training and reskilling opportunities and create a skilled workforce for the energy transition.

The demand for wind energy continues to grow at a steady pace. By 2028, the world will need over 532,000 technicians to build and maintain wind fleets, both onshore and offshore. Notably, 40% of these roles will need to be filled by new entrants. If the growth of available technicians continues at its current pace, we are projected to face a 6-8% global shortage of skilled wind technicians. Beyond these measurable vacancies, there is a growing concern about the increasing number of under-skilled workers entering the field.

The need to recruit the extra 212,000 new technicians over the next five years suggests a raft of opportunities for new talent to enter from full-time education and transition from other sectors, including from the conventional sector. This in turn highlights the wind sector’s role in supporting a just and equitable energy transition away from fossil fuels. As a result, the Global Wind Workforce Outlook 2024-2028 highlights an urgent need for faster growth in safety and technical training capacity to meet the anticipated supply chain gaps.

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The message from this, our fifth edition of the GWWO, is clear: a focus on people is essential to meet wind sector goals and drive a sustainable energy transition. GWO & GWEC’s programmes and partnerships have a key role in acting to reduce the impact of climate change on communities. However, to achieve resilient supply chains of skilled personnel ready to build and maintain the wind energy infrastructure we also need governments to act by investing in vocational training, removing regulatory barriers and by supporting the call for international training standards.

Jakob Lau Holst, CEO of Global Wind Organisation

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Key insights:

How many people will be needed in construction & installation and operation & maintenance of the global wind fleet?

The demand for wind energy continues to grow at a steady pace.  By 2028, the world will need over 532,000 technicians to build and maintain wind fleets, both onshore and offshore

What is the gap between current numbers of workforce and the projects needs and what may be the consequence?

Building a trained global wind workforce at the same time as capacity is growing means overcoming challenges. The forecast shows a 6-8% technician vacancy rate projected from 2024 to 2028, with 40% of roles requiring new entrants to the sector. This suggest employers will be grappling with labour shortages and under-skilled candidates during the forecast period.

Where are the biggest opportunities for educators and training providers to enhance wind workforce training via GWO training?

Total wind technician workforce will grow most rapidly offshore (72% higher in 2028 against 2023) although the onshore workforce needs remain substantially greater. For the ten case study country commentaries examined in the Outlook, local workforce needs are highly variable and closely linked to governmental policy.

Does this forecast encompass all workforce needed in the wind sector to reach net zero objectives?

The model used for this annual Outlook focuses on the construction, installation (C&I), operation and maintenance (O&M) segments of wind farms. It does not include calculations of workforce needs in other segments of the project lifecycle, such as research and development, procurement, manufacturing (the most labour-intensive segment in certain markets), transport and logistics, decommissioning and repowering, etc. Net zero objects foresee an even more buoyant wind market with enlarged workforce demands and challenges.