| Young professionals
“Given the additional challenges of hiring European Union workers since Brexit, and visa restrictions in recent years, several interviewees highlighted that hiring international workers has become more challenging and the process is significantly slower than it used to be. This in turn can delay project development,” the report adds. The importance of attracting young or new talent to the sector was also highlighted, due to a generational skills gap and an approaching exodus of retiring skilled workers. Several interviewees indicated there was a renewed focus on graduate schemes, degree apprentices, apprentices, and work experience year-in-industry placement students, to bring in a new pipeline of talent. Included in this are more women and individuals from minority backgrounds, and several interviewees referenced initiatives to attract a more diverse population into the sector. However figures indicate there are relatively limited opportunities for young talent to break into the UK’s hydropower sector. In the quantitative analysis of the 1144 hydropower jobs postings analysed from January to December 2023 for this study, 90% of jobs required senior-level experience. As several interviewees stressed, the problem is jobs within the hydropower sector require specialist skills and knowledge that can take years to develop.
Recommendations Recommendations from the report include supporting
further research into the green skills gap, and it stresses that collaboration between industry, government, educational institutions and other stakeholders will be crucial to tackle this. Particular mention is given to assisting highly skilled oil and gas workers looking to move into renewable energy sectors, such as hydropower, and ensuring pathways for careers in hydropower are clearly signposted for young workers looking for opportunities in this sector. Furthermore, action is also needed to ensure the domestic workforce benefits from the UK hydropower sector’s demand for green skills. In conclusion, there are said to be no quick fixes to the UK’s skills shortage, especially as the hydropower
sector often needs more specialist, technical skills that can take a long time to develop. Ultimately, the report states that any initiatives to bolster green skills in the UK’s domestic workforce or prioritise recruiting UK workers over international specialists, must be balanced with the immediate needs of the project.
Scottish study Aware that its Loch na Cathrach pumped storage
scheme in the Highlands of Scotland is just one of a number of similar projects proposed in the area, which may enter construction over the next few years, Statkraft realises there is a risk of demand for skills outstripping current levels of supply. So, to ensure its scheme can maximise local employment, the company recently funded a new independent report looking at education and skills planning in the region.
Commissioned by the University of the Highlands
and Islands (UHI), it reviewed the supply and demand of skills predominantly in the Highland Council area and found there would be ‘significant employment opportunities’, with up to 500 workers needed during the peak of construction. However, to maximise the benefit for local people in employment and training opportunities, a number of challenges need to be overcome.
Above: The dynamics for skills requirements are evolving, with growing recognition of the importance of ‘softer’ skills, such as effective communication, within the hydropower sector
Left: Attracting young or new talent to the sector will help to bridge UK hydro’s green skills gap
www.waterpowermagazine.com | June 2025 | 15
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