Global energy transition skills institute launched to get workers fit for net zero

Initiative developed by EIT InnoEnergy will tackle evolving energy transition workforce skillsets

A skills institute has been launched to provide training and development for industries evolving in line with the energy transition.

The InnoEnergy Skills Institute has been developed by sustainable energy innovation organisation EIT InnoEnergy, which is backed by the EU’s European Institute of Innovation & Technology.

It has been launched in collaboration with NIIT, a talent development corporation which will scale the offering with the aim of reaching more than 800,000 workers by 2025.

InnoEnergy Skills Institute director Oana Penu said: “Industries central to the energy transition will see a dramatic uplift in the need for new skills and expertise to drive progress.  

The InnoEnergy Skills Institute is an evolution of EIT InnoEnergy’s European Battery Alliance (EBA) Academy, expanding to include green hydrogen and solar photovoltaics value chains.

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In a statement, EIT InnoEnergy said it will take an “agile, modular approach to training” to deliver the latest trends and training with “adaptable, customisable courses and programmes that meet specific needs, regardless of location, size, or technology”.

It added: “Greater numbers benefitting from industry-leading training is a vital step in equipping the global workforce with the knowledge and expertise needed to decarbonise the energy economy.”

NIIT will provide services including onboarding, learning journey creation, training of teaching staff, and ensuring local training nuances are catered for.

The main goal of the partnership is to leverage NIIT’s presence and capabilities as a global talent development leader to rapidly scale and create the highly-skilled and certified human capital essential for rapid transition to green energy.

What are energy transition workforce issues?

According to a report by consultants at McKinsey, the transition to net zero will require retraining up to 18 million workers around the world.

For example, between 2015 and 2030, the amount of solar PV jobs is expected to quadruple. With 2023 marking the EU’s Year of Skills, the launch coincides with wider governmental initiatives to address the growing concerns about future-proofing the workforce.

Oana Penu explained the urgent need for a focus on workforce skills: “In the battery workforce alone, more than 700 new job types will come into play as required skillsets highly diversify.

“So, it is not a surprise that 71% of CEOs  already cite skills shortages as their most significant business challenge.

“We're dedicated to supporting green innovations of the future and ensuring there is a trained workforce to achieve climate goals. Our strategic partnership with NIIT will leverage its leadership in global talent development to help make this a reality.”

Sailesh Lalla, chief business officer at NIIT said decarbonisation “is the next industrial revolution, leading to an unprecedented demand for skilled clean tech professionals”.

“We are launching a pivotal initiative in Green Energy Skills with this partnership. With EIT InnoEnergy’s domain expertise and industry knowledge and NIIT’s education services industry leadership, our goal is to ensure that the InnoEnergy Skills Institute is recognised as a leading destination and thought leader for decarbonisation and green skills across Europe, North America, and Asia.

“With the combined strengths of both companies, we aspire to create a world-leading solution to the burning need for upskilling and reskilling across industries to create a flexible workforce that is adaptable to changing requirements.”

Read more workforce issue coverage on our sister site enlit.world
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The transitioning energy workforce will be a key focus of speakers at Enlit Europe in Paris later this year. Details here.