My Energy Future - Industry Research
Bringing the energy industry and young people together
As the global energy landscape shifts from traditional fossil fuels to renewable sources, understanding the entry barriers for aspiring professionals is crucial, especially in regions like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where there is a significant drive towards sustainable energy solutions.
This unique analysis, commissioned by OPITO, draws from survey data involving 4,000 participants from across the globe and provides insight into the key barriers to entering a career in the energy sector.
The Motivations
With 67% of participants indicating that they were likely to pursue an energy career, why do young people want to enter the industry? and what is the main factor, driving them towards this?
Good Pay
The financial incentive was the most common motivator amongst those interviewed, suggesting that young people are potentially willing to push against the barriers that exist if the financial reward is high enough.
Good career development
Good career advancement is a major attraction, especially in the UAE, where participants believe in the viability of long-term careers within the sector.
Job Security
35% of those interviewed globally highlighted job security within the sector as an incentive.
The Barriers
We wanted to understand what young people’s perceptions of the barriers to having a career in the energy sector were. We have highlighted the top three barriers below.
1 - Qualifications
The most commonly noted barrier in the survey data was the requirement for specific qualifications and certifications, this was cited by almost half of the participants worldwide (42%).
While this was the most frequently selected barrier from participants across the globe, the UAE demonstrated a more evenly distributed range of responses, with 36% citing special qualifications as a barrier in comparison to Malaysia (55%).
The challenge of gaining the necessary certifications was also a concern across the participating age groups, particularly among the youngest demographic.
2 - Lack of knowledge
Approximately 37% of respondents indicated that a lack of knowledge about the energy sector itself is a barrier. The UAE shows a considerably higher familiarity level than other countries, with 64% of participants reporting a good understanding of opportunities within the sector.
100% of participants who selected the best knowledge of opportunities in the industry, were educated at a bachelor’s degree level or above.
While young people are interested in the idea of pursuing a career in this industry, they are not exposed early enough to information on the roles available. The requirement for the industry to work with primary and secondary educators is clear from these results.
3 - STEM Education
There is a clear perception that energy careers are for those educated in STEM subjects, with 34% of participants globally selecting this as a main entry barrier. This requirement is echoed in the UAE, where a significant portion of the respondents feel that they must acquire specific technical skills derived from a STEM subject to have a chance of securing a role in the energy industry.
This could also indicate why most participants (38%) cited ‘Engineering’ as the most common job role they could think of in relation to the sector- the perception certainly seems that academics rooted in STEM subjects and roles in engineering are the main entry points to a career. In contrast, roles such as ‘Legal’ and ‘Compliance’ were less commonly associated with the energy sector, receiving 10% or less in responses, suggesting that a host of young people offering different skills and education backgrounds are currently unaware of more diverse roles available to them within energy, and perhaps more so in renewables.
View on Energy Transition
Most respondents (67%) support the transition to renewable energy.
The survey indicates that 68% of participants aged 18-24 favour the shift towards renewable energy source, which is the highest percentage of support amongst the age group.
Geographically speaking, the UAE is one of the countries least in favour of the energy transition, with 38% in support of maintaining fossil fuels as a source of energy. Of these respondents, the only group with a clear stance on the energy transition were those who were employed. This could suggest that those with existing careers in the industry, have a predisposed awareness, trust, and validation in the future of oil and gas over renewables.
Other countries such as Brazil represented a much higher level of support towards the energy transition, with most participants (almost 80%), selecting this over oil and gas.
Conclusion
Concerted efforts are needed to mitigate barriers to entry in the energy sector, focusing on enhancing educational resources at all levels, increasing awareness of job opportunities, creating clearer entry pathways and promoting career stability.
OPITO are proud to invest significantly in global STEM initiatives through My Energy Future powered by OPITO, which aims to inspire and attract young talent to the energy workforce. Providing this data to the industry to demonstrate awareness of the challenges in attracting new talent into the industry, is a vital next step for OPITO in supporting the sector to adapt its approach and develop innovative recruitment strategies.
OPITO have a deep-rooted commitment to building the provisions necessary to bridge the skills gap within the energy industry. This research makes it clear that we must provide the correct tools to allow young people to fulfil their ambition for energy careers. Through global initiatives like My Energy Future, OPITO’s Energy Transition Qualifications and by working closely with governments and industry leaders, we remain committed to making sure that individuals are equipped with the skills they need to support the demands of the energy transition both now and in the future.
