The 'technicians for the future' will help to save the world says Bertrand Piccard
Enlit Editorial Team
Posted on: 16 August 2023
According to Bertrand Piccard, this will be key for making the future workforce proud of their work and plugging the skills gap.
By the day there is increasing recognition of the skills gap as a major hurdle in the net-zero pathway. Although technological innovation is a must, it beggars the question of what to do when we have a shortage of skilled individuals to implement said innovation.
The skills gap was a key theme at this year’s European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) and according to the CEO of the Solar Impulse Foundation, Bertrand Piccard, the answer lies in changing the mindset of the future workforce and how they look at energy sector jobs and skills.
According to Piccard, a key piece of the puzzle that’s missing in this equation is clarity on what technical jobs are needed in the future and “the pride to do this job".
“Very often there is no pride to do manual work. It’s like a second-zone profession, which is not true. There should be pride and this is why I was proposing today at this [EUSEW] session to have a generic word for all these professions,” says Piccard.
An example Piccard uses would be a word like ‘Technician for the Future’. Whether a plumber for heat pumps or an installer of solar panels or energy efficiency solutions, having an umbrella term that the next generation can be proud of is sure to make a difference, he states.
Also from EUSEW 2023:
Why Europe mustn’t be short-sighted on long duration energy storage
Creating data space with smart meter hubs
For Enedis collective self-consumption is key to energy sharing
“All this under the word ‘Technician for the Future’ – isn’t this a way to make people proud of going to do these new jobs?”
Additionally, a key point to generating this turnaround is showing the importance of energy sector jobs, both for the people and the planet itself.
According to Piccard, this entails showing that elements of the energy sector, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste water management and building renovation, for example, are what will determine the trajectory of our planet’s future.
“This is what we have to show: these are the jobs that will save the world.”
Make sure to watch the rest of the interview with Bertrand for a comparison of the skills scene in the EU, US and China as well as to hear about his upcoming flights around the world, one in a hydrogen airplane and another in a solar zeppelin.
