With a shift to sustainable energy, job losses are expected. But there’s a way impacted workers can rebound.
The world’s collective adoption of clean energy has been gaining momentum for years now, and that’s only expected to multiply in the months ahead. There’s no doubt about the many benefits to come as global leaders race to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Millions of dollars in investment and GDP, and hundreds of thousands of jobs, are expected by 2030 thanks to these new developments.
There is often little mention of how that will impact the millions of people who already work in the global oil and gas industry as it slowly phases out. However, these affected workers do have an option available: gear up to go green too!
Green Jobs: A Step Forward for Displaced Oil Workers
Thanks to efforts from the government, private businesses, investors, and NPOs, it’s expected that over 100 million green jobs will be created in the next seven years. On the flipside of that, it means the nearly 90 million people who already work in oil and gas could be out of a job in that same time.
But the good news is that the number of new jobs coming onstream will actually outpace the losses, in something of a reverse of that age-old saying about forward and backward steps. In fact, according to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the transition to renewable energy and the move away from fossil fuels will likely result in “a loss of about 185 million direct and indirect jobs globally by 2050” but “a gain of about 200 million.”
It wouldn’t be fair to call layoffs “optimistic” in most cases. But this could be one scenario that comes loaded with opportunity in what appears to be a letdown on the surface.
Strategies for Oil Workers Transitioning to Green Jobs
The possibility of impending layoffs in oil and gas coincides with a bit of a labor shortage within the green economy, including in renewable energy. It also comes as more and more green jobs are being rolled out and developed, expanding beyond the typical careers like solar panel technician and reaching into new fields like environmental consultants and lawyers.
The number of new job openings has jumped at least fivefold over the past few years alone, and that’s only going to continue from here on. What that means is that people who are already employed in the oil and gas industry in some way or the other have time to transition into new career paths alongside the transition to renewable energy.
There is time to start building skills and knowledge in the green economy through online courses or professional development opportunities in order to start a more sustainable career. Because of the skills shortage, many employers are even offering apprenticeship opportunities or being more lenient in their hiring, looking more for willingness than for explicit experience in the green economy.
Skilled individuals who are ready to transition, or those who are new to the workforce, can take advantage of resources like EcoCareers to easily land their dream job ahead of the curve.