Energy / Pilot project aims to help oil and gas workers transition to renewables
A PILOT scheme has launched to help oil and gas workers to transition into careers in renewable and clean energy projects.
The Energy Skills Passport has been strongly supported by the Scottish Government, which has put £3.7 million of Just Transition funding into the scheme between 2022 and 2024.
The project will initially support workers to identify routes into roles in the offshore wind sector.
It comes as part of wider Scottish Government work to ensure a just transition to net zero – and seeks to ensure that oil and gas workers are supported as part of a fair and managed transition.
It is hoped that once fully operational the passport will help support a pipeline of workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030.
Acting cabinet secretary Gillian Martin said it was “absolutely vital” that the government ensured the “considerable skills” of oil and gas workers were retained.
“That’s why the Scottish Government has provided £3.7 million of funding to support oil and gas and renewables industries to jointly develop the Energy Skills Passport – helping to ensure that the skills, experience and expertise of oil and gas workers are harnessed and that they are ready to apply for the long term sustainable jobs that are created as part of our fair and managed transition to net zero,” she said.
“I welcome the pilot phase of the passport, which has been three years in the making and I look forward to seeing further developments in the coming months.”
Offshore Energies UK and RenewableUK have partnered on the skills passport, which will help oil and gas workers to find what training they need to secure jobs in the renewables industry.
The union Prospect welcomed the trial, with senior deputy general secretary Sue Ferns calling it a “good first step”.
“Identifying our current skills base and skills gaps is essential so we can implement the pathways necessary to support workers to move into comparable sustainable jobs in the sector,” she said.
“There is however more that needs to be done to break down barriers to moving between oil and gas and renewables. Pay and conditions are vastly different in the two industries for example.
“Deeper engagement is needed between the offshore wind sector and trade unions so we can work together to support a just transition.”
A beta website for the scheme has been created, which can be viewed here.
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