Study: Skilled workers urgently needed for the energy transition
Roofers and technicians for the installation of solar systems, specialists for the planning of wind farms: according to a study, the demand for skilled workers for the expansion of solar and wind energy in Germany has risen rapidly. The number of corresponding online job advertisements increased by 91 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to the study presented on Wednesday by the German Economic Institute on behalf of the Bertelsmann Foundation. Demand for workers has skyrocketed, particularly in the solar industry.
Experts fear that unmet demand could slow down the energy transition. Industry representatives, on the other hand, are relaxed and point to their own qualification efforts and the promise of future-proof jobs.
According to the analysis, the number of online job advertisements for professions in the solar industry in 2022 was 52,000. 36,000 job advertisements for the solar sector were already posted in the first six months of this year, indicating a record year. The number of job advertisements in the wind energy sector has also risen - albeit much less dynamically and to a lower level. In 2022, almost 15,000 job advertisements for corresponding professions were registered. In 2019, it was just under 14,000.
The experts attribute the difference to the number of turbines. According to the IW, there are currently more than three million photovoltaic systems and 30,000 wind turbines on land and at sea. However, the planning and construction of wind turbines is more complex.
In line with the speed of expansion and importance of wind power in the regions, most job advertisements per employee can be found in Bremen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Among solar companies, demand is concentrated in the south and east. In 2022, there were the most job vacancies per employee in Saxony, Brandenburg, Berlin and Bavaria.
Plumbing, heating and air conditioning technicians and construction electricians are particularly in demand. Roofers are increasingly in demand for the installation of solar systems. While the solar energy sector tends to look for skilled workers with vocational training, companies that have wind energy in their portfolio alongside solar power are increasingly looking for specialists with a university degree.
Urgent need for qualifications
"If we miss the opportunity now to focus consistently on qualifications, an unmet demand for skilled workers could become a brake on the energy transition," warns Jana Fingerhut, labor market expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation. Competition is already fierce with other bottleneck occupations, for example in the skilled trades and industry.
The political scientist says that a career in the energy transition is particularly attractive to young people who are looking for meaningful work. However, efforts are needed to leverage further potential, for example through partial qualifications for unskilled workers and career changers. The industry initiative "Ohne Hände keine Wende" (No hands, no turnaround), which uses training modules to train people in the installation of solar systems and heat pumps and bring them to completion, is an example of how this can be achieved at a low threshold.
Associations consider demand for skilled workers to be manageable
According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW), growth and the recruitment of skilled workers have still managed to keep pace - partly because many companies from the conventional electrical trade have entered the solar industry. However: sometimes it takes up to six months to fill vacancies - sometimes orders have to be postponed. In order to achieve the expansion targets in the future, more workers from Germany and abroad are needed in addition to training, explains BSW Managing Director Carsten König. When recruiting from countries outside the EU, for example, it is important to recognize degrees and qualifications more quickly and to support people arriving in their search for accommodation.
Competition for skilled workers is tough, but the German Wind Energy Association believes it is well positioned. The number of applicants is high. It takes around three months to fill vacancies. There is also an increasing focus on lateral entrants. Several industry initiatives are working to make job potential visible.
"The issue of skilled workers is a challenge, but it can also be solved through the efforts of the industry," says Simone Peter, President of the German Renewable Energy Federation, with conviction. Above all, she points out that the jobs will be "future-proof" in the coming years thanks to the expansion gaining momentum again.
The labor market for the energy transition is particularly focused on professions related to solar and wind energy, with a significant increase in job advertisements in these sectors. The demand for skilled workers in the solar industry has reached an all-time high, with 52,000 job advertisements in 2022. The wind energy sector has also seen an increase, although not as dramatic, with nearly 15,000 job advertisements in 2022. The expansion of renewable energies, such as solar and wind, relies heavily on a skilled workforce, and there is an urgent need for qualifications to meet this demand. Education and training programs, like the industry initiative "Ohne Hände keine Wende," are essential to bridge the skills gap and provide opportunities for career changers and unskilled workers.
Source: www.dpa.com
