Ryan FowlerThe Energy Skills Passport, a new tool to help workers transition across the UK’s energy sectors, has been launched by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) and RenewableUK, with support from the UK and Scottish Governments. The tool will enable workers to identify the qualifications needed for specific roles and explore career pathways in oil, gas, and offshore wind.
Research commissioned by OEUK shows that 90% of oil and gas workers have skills that can also be applied to renewable energy. The Passport is part of efforts to support workforce mobility and the UK’s growing focus on low-carbon energy.
Jane Cooper, executive director of offshore wind at RenewableUK, said: “More than a hundred thousand people will be working in the UK’s offshore wind industry by 2030, mostly in highly skilled roles. To grow our world-class industry as fast as possible, we need the valuable experience that oil and gas workers can bring. The Energy Skills Passport which we’re launching today with our OEUK colleagues offers a gateway for people to make this transition by helping them to identify which offshore wind roles would suit them best, and setting out in detail the training they will need to secure these new job opportunities.”
The initial version of the website allows users to create accounts, log qualifications, and explore training requirements for a limited number of offshore wind roles, such as turbine maintenance technician. It will be tested by a group of workers who will provide feedback to inform the final version, expected to launch later this year with more roles and training information.
Katy Heidenreich, director of supply chain and people at OEUK, said: “We are pleased to be working with RenewableUK to launch the Energy Skills Passport. The UK’s offshore energy workforce has a proud heritage and continues to have high value jobs in oil and gas, which support a broad range of skills from engineering and construction to legal and commercial expertise. These skills are essential for the homegrown oil and gas the UK needs for decades to come together with the expansion in energy production we’ll need in future. This passport is all about helping people working in this industry to make informed decisions about their jobs and future.”
The Passport aims to reduce duplication in training requirements while improving consistency in health and safety standards. Steve Nicol, executive president of operations at Wood and OEUK supply chain champion, said: “By removing duplication of training standards and identifying which qualifications are required for specific roles, it will not only drive cost reductions, but it will ensure consistency across health and safety practices.”
Zoe Keeton, RWE’s head of stakeholders and local markets, added: “Today’s launch of the first stage of the Energy Skills Passport marks a significant step in the energy transition, as it will enable workers to move between different parts of the UK’s offshore energy industry more easily. It also demonstrates the collaborative approach that the energy sector is taking, supported by the UK and Scottish Governments, to ensure that we make the most of the transferable skills which offshore workers have built up over decades to support new industries in the years ahead.”
The Energy Skills Passport is seen as a key part of the UK’s strategy to build a skilled workforce for a low-carbon energy future.
