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Publications / Young Energy Professionals Forum

Meeting the Challenge: Attracting and retaining future energy leaders

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Young energy professionals believe the energy sector offers opportunities to work, develop a career and contribute towards societal goals.

Through our Future Energy Leaders survey, the Young Energy Professionals (YEP) Forum captured key insights from a generation of the industry that will be key to delivery of the UK’s legally binding commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

Key findings

Attracting the next generation of energy leaders

Development: offer a breadth of tailored options

Retention: Maintaining strong long-term commitment

Conclusions

Who took the survey?


Key findings

  • Nearly 90% of surveyed YEPs say the sector has met or exceeded their expectations, and they plan to stay for at least five more years. This high satisfaction is a valuable learning and something the industry should leverage when attracting new talent.

While we find almost all of those surveyed remain committed to continuing their career in the energy industry, a number of barriers to starting out in the sector remain.

  • Addressing key barriers – such as unclear career pathways and the perception of regional job distribution – is crucial for maintaining the commitment of current YEPs.
  • In particular, YEPs outside London are 1.5 times more likely to see location as a barrier.

Government should continue to collaborate with stakeholders such as industry, regulators and system planners, utilising existing workforce mapping which shows where and when jobs will be required, to enable tailored Net Zero recruitment and skills strategies. The Office for Clean Energy Jobs and Skills England should ensure coordination between government, industry and skills bodies such as Energy and Utility Skills, which has already undertaken detailed workforce projections based on current Government policy and ambition.

Industry must support young energy professionals in their development by providing appropriate training and development opportunities.

To develop a workforce that integrates the 725,000 new workers required to reach Net Zero by 2050,1 targeted and impactful training is vital.

  • Our findings found YEPs learn through a variety of formal and informal methods. Industry and government must use the detailed workforce mapping that has already been undertaken and work alongside higher and further education providers to ensure the most relevant training types are offered to address identified needs.
  • Additionally, given climate action remains a significant driver for those entering the energy industry, employers should not underestimate the importance of highlighting how roles contribute to tackling climate change for job satisfaction and retention.

Insights from young energy professionals are valuable but varied. Industry must adopt a more coordinated, strategic approach to close the skills gap and develop the future energy leaders needed to reach Net Zero.

  • 2050 is only 26 years away. Those joining the sector today (ie current YEPs) will be those leading the transition to Net Zero in the final decades of delivery.
  • YEPs have different views on what makes working in energy exciting and what could be improved, depending on their experience, location and role.
  • By demonstrating clear career paths and regional job opportunities, and investing in targeted and relevant training, and regional job opportunities, government and industry can support young talent and lay the groundwork for long-term success in meeting clean power goals by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. This will help close the green skills gap and build a sustainable, engaged, future-ready workforce.

Attracting the next generation of energy leaders

  • Our survey found that fighting climate change was the primary motivator for all those joining the industry.
  • Beyond this we found a variation in motivations based on sector – for example:
    • The higher focus on job security and pay in the nuclear sector
    • An interest in new technologies for those working on energy networks
  • Greater importance on influencing policy for those working in policy roles. Recruitment strategies must be tailored to specific sectors, to ensure they attract motivated individuals.
A graph showing the motivations for young energy professionals by sub-sector - Energy networks and storage, nuclear energy, policy/regulation, renewable and other. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk

Avoiding blockers to attracting top talent is also vital. Among survey respondents:

  • Unclear career pathways and concern around job location were cited as the top two barriers to entry.
  • Respondents in London are more likely to cite a lack of clear career pathways and low pay as the main barriers to joining the sector.
  • Those outside London are 1.5 times more likely to see location as a barrier, and have greater concern about the possibility that a lack of qualifications or training could be a blocker to joining the sector.
  • The energy transition is set to deliver jobs across the UK, in particular to regions outside of London and the South East.2 Due to this gap between perception and reality, we believe work remains to be done in communicating opportunities available in the sector and highlighting the geographical spread of these opportunities. This should be aligned with skills provision in the UK’s regions through working with higher and further education providers.
A graph showing the perceived barriers to entering the sector for young energy professionals by sub-sector - Energy networks and storage, nuclear energy, policy/regulation, renewable and other. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk

Development: offer a breadth of tailored options

We found 76% of respondents are satisfied with the training they have received while at work. This was delivered through a variety of methods, both formal and informal, with the most common displayed below.

The specificities of training will depend on job roles and prerequisites, with some roles requiring formal, academic instruction while others can be taught more informally and/or on the job. It is vital that training is relevant and ensures the right skills for the job can be taught.

Importantly, more than a quarter of respondents have also been able to develop their skills through young professional networks such as the YEP Forum, which provide opportunities for development, networking and inspiration.

A graph showing the training methods cited by young energy professionals. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk
  • However, it is vital that any training is effective and relevant for those undertaking it.
  • We found that those dissatisfied with training are 2.4 times more likely to consider leaving the sector within five years’ time, highlighting how important it is for retention.
  • It is essential that industry works alongside young professionals to understand individual career needs to develop better training provision and offer a breadth of training types that ensure the energy industry can retain top talent.

Retention: Maintaining strong long-term commitment

  • We found an impressive 87% of respondents plan to stay in the energy sector for the next five years, with 89% stating that the sector has met or exceeded their expectations. This high level of satisfaction is a positive sign in being able to attract and retain sufficient talent to the industry.
  • Respondents in renewables and energy networks and storage show the highest retention rates. The broader industry should learn from these sectors’ strategies to improve staff retention and attract talent.
A graph showing the likelihood of leaving the sector for young energy professionals by sub-sector - Energy networks and storage, nuclear energy, policy/regulation, renewable and other. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk
  • By addressing the top barriers people cite to remaining in the sector, such as clearer career pathways and better pay, the sector can further strengthen its ability to retain this motivated workforce.
  • Areas for improvement vary across the different sectors – for example, establishing clearer career pathways and progression for those working in renewables remains an area for improvement.
  • Given that fighting climate change was a primary motivator for people joining the energy sector, employers explicitly stating how individual roles support climate action could improve industry retention, especially for those working in energy networks or policy.
A graph showing the ways cited by young energy professionals that the industry could retain their talent, by sub-sector - Energy networks and storage, nuclear energy, policy/regulation, renewable and other. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk

Conclusions

Delivering Net Zero will require a stepchange in the deployment of projects and people. The emerging green skills gap is significant, but it also presents enormous opportunities to bring skilled, purposeful jobs to every part of our society. YEPs are uniquely placed to share their insight on how to make these jobs sustainable, fulfilling and rewarding.

The Future Energy Leaders survey underscores the importance of addressing barriers to entry, tailored training, and career progression to maintain this motivated and long-term workforce. These are essential steps to ensuring the energy sector can deliver on the Government’s Clean Power 2030 targets and address the green skills gap.


Who took the survey?

More than 540 YEPs completed the survey over the summer of 2024. The survey was open to anyone with fewer than 10 years’ experience in the energy sector. It was shared within YEP Forum networks and beyond, to reflect the views of engaged individuals within the sector.

A graph showing the percentage of respondents aligning with three bands of experience: <2, 2-5 and >5. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk
A graphic showing where in the UK the respondents live and percentages. For data from this graph please email press@energy-uk.org.uk

Please get in touch if you have any questions about this report.

For the data behind the graphs, please email Energy UK.


1 Climate Change Committee (2023), A Net Zero Workforce