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. It provides a comprehensive overview of energy employment, estimating the size and distribution of the workforce across regions, sectors, and technologies. The report offers detailed data on workers throughout the entire energy value chain, covering fossil fuel supply, bioenergy, nuclear energy, low-emissions hydrogen, power generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and key energy-related end uses like vehicle manufacturing and energy efficiency for buildings and industry, among other segments.

For the first time, WEE 2023 includes employment data for the extraction of selected critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, and lithium.

This year’s report also benchmarks energy employment needs against projections to 2030 across IEA scenarios, highlighting key policies that could help countries develop and sustain a skilled energy workforce during the energy transition.

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