Wind jobs boost for the UK threatened by skills gap

UK: More than 88,000 new people could be employed by the UK wind and marine renewable-energy sector by 2021, according to a new report by Renewable UK and Energy and Utility Skills -- but only if market support and skills issues can be addressed.

by Paul Garrett 7 July 2011

Chairman of Renewable UK, Andrew Jamieson

The study, Working for Green Britain Volume II, suggests a "high-growth scenario" where 51.8GW of installed wind capacity supports 115,000 full-time employees in the UK, including those working in the supply chain, representing 88,000 more jobs in 2021 than in 2010.

But it also warns of a "low-growth scenario" of just 25.7GW of wind capacity supporting 44,000 jobs. Inhibitors to the more optimistic scenario would be lacking financial incentives and protracted regulatory uncertainty, alongside a continuing shortage of skills.

The report says the UK's wind-energy skills shortage needs "to be plugged". Tim Balcon, CEO of training support organisation Energy & Utility Skills, said: "No one organisation or company can achieve this on its own."