People in Fife, Scotland, know the importance of energy skills to the economy. For a long time, many jobs depended on the energy sector. In fact, 2024 marks 40 years since crews first entered Shell’s gas plant in the heart of Fife. There, skilled professionals joined a pioneering workforce that processed North Sea gas. Today the plant still powers the UK economy, helping supply more than 20 per cent of the country’s gas. Less well-known, perhaps, is the Energy Transition Skills Hub opening 15 minutes down the road, at Fife College. Launching this autumn, it will welcome a new cohort of energy pioneers. Students will, among other things, get an immersive hands-on experience of a nanogrid, a self-contained energy system that relies on its own energy source such as renewable power. Supported by Shell UK, the hub is one of three opening its doors across the UK by September 2025, part of a wider plan to break down barriers to the future energy workforce. Shell UK’s Skills Transition programme aims to help 15,000 people into jobs with a focus on the energy transition by 2035.
Opening up access to growth
A Local Government Association report found that by 2050, there could be 1.18 million UK net zero roles available, but not enough people with skills to fill them. Addressing this requires upskilling, reskilling and empowering a new generation of energy professionals, including tackling inequalities, says Parminder Kohli, chair of Shell UK and executive vice president sustainability and carbon for Shell Group. “A big part of this is breaking down barriers for people to the future energy workforce, so whoever you are, whatever your background, you get the opportunity you deserve,” he adds. Kohli says tackling the energy skills challenge will be a key area for business and the UK government to work together to raise the country’s growth prospects: “We are seeing that, even though there is progress in the UK energy transition, there is significant challenge emerging to ensure the country has the energy workforce it needs.”
Creating good, local jobs
Shell UK’s energy transition skills hubs aim to open opportunities to more people to help close the skills gap. At its hub in Pembrokeshire College in Wales, students are learning to work in virtual control rooms for offshore wind, hydrogen plants, and hydrocarbon projects. Dr Barry Walters, principal at the college, says: “Young people in Pembrokeshire tell me good job opportunities are few and far between. So they’ve been delighted with the new Energy Transition Skills Hub. They understand it will help them access well-paid jobs with career pathways locally. This means they don’t have to move out of the county for work.” Walters adds: “The future job market will continue to include roles in energy, so we want local learners trained and ready to jump at these opportunities.” Back in Scotland, at the North East Scotland College in Aberdeen, another hub will focus on welding and engineering skills. According to Skills Development Scotland, Scotland is expected to need up to 6,000 new welders and other technical professionals to deliver its offshore-project demands in the coming years. The Aberdeen hub aims to help more than 2,000 learners and support people in jobs across five years, and is expected to open its doors in 2025.
Training young women in energy
Shell UK is also making progress to encourage more women to consider roles in the energy sector. North East Scotland is home to Girls in Energy, a year-long engineering course helping 14- to 17-year-old high-school students engage in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects. Since the programme launched in 2008, the number of students involved has expanded to reach more than 200 young women each year.
Tackling inequalities
Kohli says: “The UK must tackle inequalities by recruiting from socio-economically disadvantaged groups, and Shell UK is stepping up efforts in this area.” It is supporting employability programmes, digital bootcamps, and energy-efficiency qualifications. Shell UK’s work to make a positive social impact through employment in Britain dates back to 1982, with the Shell LiveWIRE programme in Scotland, which addressed youth unemployment. Today it helps, among others, Catch22, a charity and social business, to provide an 18-month employability skills programme focused on the energy transition and supporting people into jobs. The programme will recruit people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and equip them with employability support and skills for life. So far, more than 250 learners across London, Norfolk, Manchester and Liverpool have been supported into work. Kohli adds: “We are taking strong steps with our partners to deliver new training and skills opportunities, including helping diverse talent in socio-economically disadvantaged groups. Not only can this pave the way for future energy pioneers, but it will also drive the change needed to achieve economic growth.”
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