As of early 2025, the renewable energy sector has experienced significant growth, employing over 16.2 million individuals worldwide. This surge is driven by the increasing adoption of clean energy technologies, with solar energy alone accounting for approximately 7.1 million jobs globally. The United States has also seen a notable rise, with the energy sector employing 8.4 million people, representing over 5% of all jobs in the country. However, this growth is accompanied by challenges, including an aging workforce and a significant digital skills gap.
Training Tools Make a Difference
Training is essential to keep the workforce relevant. Virtual and augmented reality simulations allow employees to practice on equipment without the risks of real-world mistakes. For instance, a wind turbine technician can learn maintenance procedures in a simulated environment before climbing a turbine. These simulations make learning faster and safer.
Artificial intelligence adds another layer of support. AI programs can track what a worker knows, identify gaps, and suggest exercises or lessons. This creates a learning path tailored to each person. Employees build confidence while mastering new tools. They retain their operational knowledge while adapting to digital systems.
Upskilling programs often combine multiple approaches. Online courses, hands-on exercises, and mentoring work together. Mentoring is particularly powerful. Experienced staff pass on knowledge while learning digital methods from younger colleagues. Companies benefit too. They gain staff who can manage both traditional and digital systems efficiently.
Some organizations are also encouraging a culture of continuous learning. Workshops, refresher courses, and internal knowledge-sharing sessions help employees stay up to date. This approach ensures the workforce can keep pace with changing technologies and energy projects. Employees who feel supported are more engaged and motivated.
Roles Are Shifting
Many jobs that once relied on physical labour now centre on digital monitoring and analysis. Pipeline operators no longer walk long distances to check for leaks, as sensors now send pressure and flow readings to control rooms where alerts guide targeted responses. Maintenance has shifted from fixed schedules and reactive repairs to predictive care, with sensors tracking vibration and temperature so teams can act before breakdowns occur. In drilling, engineers who once relied on logbooks and gut feeling now work with thousands of data points collected every second, often shared with remote centres where global experts collaborate in real time. Control rooms that once depended on dials and panels now feature integrated digital dashboards, while inspections that required climbing towers are carried out by drones and robotic tools, with workers studying 3D models from safe locations.
This transformation has changed not just tools but also roles. Older staff bring deep knowledge of equipment behaviour while younger colleagues introduce digital tools and systems, making mentoring and cross-training vital. Maintenance staff, engineers, and project managers are learning to act on real-time data, predicting failures, reducing downtime, and improving both safety and efficiency. Remote monitoring also enables teams to collaborate across locations and work on several projects at once, increasing productivity and speeding up delivery. The blend of physical expertise with digital capability is creating more versatile workers and helping companies achieve safer, faster, and more effective operations.
Opportunities for Workers
The changing energy sector brings fresh opportunities. Workers can take advantage of training programs for renewable projects, data analysis, and cybersecurity. Employees who combine practical experience with digital skills become highly versatile. They can work on wind farms, solar projects, and energy storage systems.
Being adaptable increases job security. Those who continually learn are prepared for changes in the industry. They can move between projects, take on leadership roles, and remain valuable as technology evolves. Hybrid skills are increasingly in demand. Companies want staff who can handle traditional operations and modern monitoring tools.
Training also opens doors to new responsibilities. Workers can lead teams, manage digital platforms, or participate in project planning. Career progression becomes clearer when companies invest in reskilling. Employees gain confidence and feel more in control of their futures.
The sector also allows mobility. Skills developed in one area can transfer to another. For example, pipeline experience can be applied to monitoring energy storage systems. This flexibility makes the workforce more resilient and creates multiple pathways for growth.
How Companies Benefit
Shell has invested heavily in predictive maintenance tools over the past few years, using sensors that monitor vibration and temperature on critical equipment. This has helped the company reduce unplanned shutdowns and save millions in repair costs. In the same way, Chevron’s use of drones for pipeline inspections has cut inspection time by more than half and kept workers away from hazardous areas. These practical changes show how digital tools are not just improving safety but also delivering measurable savings.
BP has also made staff training a priority, pairing experienced technicians with younger, tech-savvy recruits. This mix of knowledge has sped up decision-making in control rooms where operators now rely on integrated dashboards instead of scattered gauges and panels. Similar programmes at TotalEnergies have boosted retention, with employees reporting greater confidence in adapting to digital systems. When staff feel their skills are valued and supported, they not only stay longer but also contribute new ideas that strengthen operations.
Planning and Support
Change requires careful planning. Companies must identify which skills are needed and where gaps exist. They must design training programs that fit different employees’ roles and experience levels.
Partnering with universities, technical schools, and training organizations helps deliver high-quality courses. Certifications and practical lessons prepare workers for the challenges of modern energy projects. Investments in digital tools, software, and platforms support ongoing learning.
Progress must be monitored. Companies should track employee performance, gather feedback, and adjust programs as needed. Employees who feel heard and supported engage more fully. Effective training programs evolve alongside technology and industry demands.
Clear communication is also essential. Employees must understand why reskilling matters, what is expected of them, and how it benefits their careers. When workers see a clear path forward, they embrace learning and contribute more effectively.
Respecting Experience
Reskilling respects employees’ experience while helping them grow. Decades of operational knowledge cannot be replaced by technology alone. Helping workers learn new skills shows that they are valued. This builds loyalty and morale.
Experienced employees who learn digital tools become mentors for others. They guide newer staff, share insights, and strengthen teams. Workers who feel supported take initiative and contribute ideas. Companies gain more than skills, they gain commitment and dedication.
This approach also preserves institutional knowledge. Companies avoid losing expertise when staff retire or change roles. Experienced workers remain engaged, productive, and confident. Their presence enhances team performance and project outcomes.
Benefits Beyond the Company
The advantages of reskilling extend beyond individual companies. Communities benefit from safer and more efficient energy operations. Projects are completed on time, with fewer accidents or disruptions. Workers with updated skills can handle multiple roles, creating stable employment.
Trained employees help renewable energy projects succeed. They can implement new technology without mistakes, improving reliability and efficiency. This also supports climate goals. Well-trained staff accelerate the adoption of clean energy systems and reduce reliance on older, polluting infrastructure.
Communities benefit from reliable energy supply, safer work sites, and skilled local employment. Workers with hybrid skills can mentor others, creating a ripple effect of knowledge and competence. The sector as a whole becomes stronger and more resilient.
Embracing Change
Change brings challenges, but also opportunity. Workers who embrace learning can advance their careers. Companies that invest in staff retain talent and operate more efficiently. The next generation of energy work blends old knowledge with new skills.
Hands-on experience and digital monitoring go together. Workers who understand equipment and software can prevent problems, improve efficiency, and make better decisions. This hybrid approach strengthens projects, enhances safety, and builds careers. It is more than technology—it is a new way of working.
Employees gain confidence, and companies gain capability. Both adapt to challenges and seize new opportunities. Teams that combine experience with digital literacy innovate faster and deliver better results.
Balancing Knowledge and Skill
Energy work in 2025 is about balance. Experience meets new technology. Physical work meets digital oversight. Longevity meets adaptability. Companies that achieve this balance create stronger teams and better outcomes.
Workers are prepared for roles they may not have imagined a few years ago. They gain hybrid skills that allow them to lead and innovate. Reskilling allows employees to do more than keep up. It gives them the chance to grow, contribute, and shape the future.
This balance benefits companies, communities, and workers alike. Projects run safely and efficiently. Jobs are stable. Energy systems operate reliably. Reskilled employees become the backbone of the energy industry’s success.