Energy

Help power the country by joining the energy industry. Energy is one of Scotland's fastest growing industries. With reliance on renewable energy increasing, there are even more exciting new opportunities to get involved. 

The impact you could make

  • Heat the country using environmentally friendly resources such as solar, wind and wave power. 
  • Use renewable energy innovation to deliver low carbon energy solutions that will power our communities and economy.  
  • Join nearly 5,800 Modern Apprentices in energy and engineering roles. 

The opportunities within energy

The energy industry is now shifting towards using renewable energy sources and digital technologies to have more of a positive impact on the environment.  

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Employment

The energy industry currently employs 100,600.*

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Job availability

Between 2022 and 2025 a further 5,800 people will be needed to fill job openings across the sector.* 

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Job diversity

The Offshore Wind Sector Deal is helping to increase the number of women employed in energy roles. At least one third of the energy workforce will identify as women by 2030, compared to just 16% in 2018.

*Skills Sector Assessment 2022      

The future of this industry is vibrant!

We're looking at 21,000 new jobs by 2050.

Laura

People and Organisational Development Director, Net Zero Technology Centre

Some things you may not know about energy

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Scotland generated 97.4% of its electricity demand from renewables in 2020.

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 Oil and gas will continue to play a critical role in our energy mix up until 2040.

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In 2019, there were 22,660 full-time employees working in renewable energy in Scotland.

What subjects to take

We’ve pulled together some examples of subjects that could be useful for getting into a career in energy. 

  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Engineering FA
  • Graphic Communication
  • Design & Manufacture
  • Maths

For most jobs, you might not need specific subjects. If your school does not provide all of these subjects or you're just unsure — do not worry. There are many more subjects you can explore by using the Option Choices tool or speaking to your careers adviser in your school. 

What routes you can take

There are different options you can choose from after school. We’ve pulled together some of them to help you decide which is best for you.