Global Energy Employment 2023

The second edition of the World Energy Employment (WEE) report tracks the evolution of the energy workforce from before the pandemic, through the global energy crisis, to the present day. This report offers a comprehensive overview of energy employment, with estimates detailing the size and distribution of the labor force across regions, sectors, and technologies. The dataset provides detailed insights into workers throughout the entire energy value chain, including fossil fuel supply, bioenergy, nuclear, low-emissions hydrogen, power generation, transmission, distribution, and storage, as well as key energy-related end uses such as vehicle manufacturing and energy efficiency for buildings and industry. Additionally, WEE 2023 features employment data for the extraction of critical minerals like copper, cobalt, nickel, and lithium for the first time.

This year’s report benchmarks energy employment needs against a 2030 outlook across various IEA scenarios, outlining essential policies to help countries develop and maintain a skilled energy workforce throughout the energy transition.

WEE 2023 delves into the risks of skilled labor shortages and their potential impact on the industry’s outlook, providing new analyses on skills, certifications, wages, and job postings. The findings indicate that the ongoing shifts in energy employment will continue, presenting both opportunities and risks. With the right measures in place, policymakers, energy companies, labor representatives, educational and vocational training institutions, and other key stakeholders can collaboratively mitigate labor transition risks while ensuring the shift to cleaner energy sources remains focused on people.