The State of Clean Energy Recruitment in 2025: Trends Every Employer Should Know
The clean energy sector is entering 2025 with unprecedented momentum. Global renewable energy capacity additions reached record highs in 2024, and job growth is accelerating to match. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), clean energy now supports over 16 million jobs worldwide, a figure set to keep rising as nations push toward net-zero goals. For employers, recruiters, and candidates alike, this rapid expansion brings both opportunity and competition.
Understanding the key trends shaping hiring in 2025 is essential for attracting, retaining, and thriving in the sector’s most in-demand roles. Here’s what you need to know right now.
A Rapidly Expanding Market
The clean energy industry is expanding faster than ever, driven by record levels of renewable energy deployment. IRENA reports that global renewable energy capacity grew by 582 GW in 2024, with solar photovoltaics alone accounting for roughly 452 GW of that increase (source).
Globally, clean energy employment reached 16.2 million in 2023, marking an 18% year-on-year increase. Growth is geographically diverse: China leads with around 46% of all clean energy jobs, followed by the European Union with about 1.8 million roles, and both the U.S. and India with close to 1 million each (source).
This growth is not limited to installation and maintenance roles. Entire ecosystems of supply chain management, digital optimisation, and advanced manufacturing are evolving alongside the sector. For employers, this means the competition for talent extends beyond clean energy, it’s a contest with other high-growth industries. For candidates, it means entry into a dynamic market that values both technical expertise and adaptable, cross-sector proficiency.
Sector Hotspots: Solar, Wind & Storage
While the clean energy sector thrives across multiple domains, three areas stand out as major hiring engines in 2025: solar, wind, and energy storage.
Solar power continues to lead the charge. In 2024, global solar PV capacity increased by roughly 452 GW, part of that 582 GW total, fueling demand not only for installation teams but also for roles in systems design, operations, and supply chain logistics (source).
Wind energy, both onshore and offshore, is also expanding fast. Large-scale offshore projects in the UK, the US, and Asia are generating demand for specialist roles like turbine technicians and subsea engineers. The UK alone is targeting 50 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, which will require significant annual workforce growth.
Energy storage, especially battery technology, is emerging as a critical enabler for renewable energy adoption. As renewables penetrate grids more heavily, storage solutions become essential to maintain stability, driving recruitment in areas like battery R&D, manufacturing, and systems integration.
These “hotspots” are the pulse of recruitment competition. If you’re a candidate, prioritizing skills in these areas can open the most promising career opportunities.
Key Hiring Challenges Facing Employers
Despite explosive growth, the clean energy sector faces real hiring challenges in 2025. A recent survey by The Planet Group shows that sourcing niche technical talent (38%) is the top concern for employers, followed by managing regulatory complexity (25%), retaining staff (20%), and scaling teams fast enough (17%).
Skilled talent shortages are especially acute in high-demand areas. In the UK’s offshore wind sector, industry groups estimate that 10,000 new skilled workers will be needed every year until 2030 to meet capacity targets. Without faster training and recruitment approaches, project delays and cost overruns are a real threat.
Other regions mirror this trend. In Australia, the Electrical Trades Union warns of a looming shortfall: 55,000 electrical apprentices needed by 2027, and a potential 32,000 electrician deficit by 2030, putting net-zero infrastructure projects at risk.
Meanwhile, retention adds another layer of complexity. High demand means experienced professionals are approached by multiple employers with attractive offers, leading to a two-pronged challenge: sourcing qualified talent and offering compelling reasons to stay.
With demand far outpacing supply, employers in clean energy must adopt creative recruitment and retention strategies:
Tap into transferable talent pools. In the UK, initiatives like the Energy Skills Passport enable oil & gas workers to transition into renewables quickly, cutting retraining time and boosting onboarding speed.
Build regional training hubs. Companies such as ScottishPower are investing heavily, reporting a £5.4 billion infrastructure commitment while planning to hire 1,000 workers.
Embrace reskilling and upskilling. Flexible training, including micro-certifications, online modules, and hybrid learning, enables employees to build skills without disrupting current roles.
Leverage employer branding. Firms that emphasize career progression, sustainability commitment, and inclusive culture are better positioned to attract and retain talent, especially in high-growth fields like solar, wind, and storage.
Skills & Salary Trends
The clean energy workforce in 2025 is seeing steady wage growth alongside a shift toward skills-focused hiring. Industry reports indicate that 48% of professionals in the sector received a pay rise in the past year, with 21% seeing increases above 5%, reflecting rising competition and technical skill requirements.
Employers are increasingly prioritising skills over formal degrees, particularly in fields like grid modernisation, battery engineering, and hydrogen systems. Research in Nature Human Behaviour highlights that green skills are becoming more transferable across sectors, opening clean energy doors to applicants from automotive, defense, and oil & gas backgrounds.
At Siemens Energy, for example, new hires have joined from non-traditional backgrounds such as the military (source), bringing fresh perspectives to problem solving. This emphasis on transferable capabilities helps widen the talent pool and mitigate shortages.
What Recruiters & Candidates Can Act On Now
For recruiters and employers:
Expand your talent pipeline by including candidates from adjacent industries and supporting them with tailored training.
Provide transparent career pathways and mentorship to boost retention.
Highlight mission-driven values in job descriptions. Many professionals look for roles that align with environmental impact.
Streamline hiring processes to compete successfully for in-demand candidates.
For candidates:
Highlight transferable skills, especially if transitioning from sectors like oil & gas, automotive, or manufacturing.
Prioritize continuous learning through short courses, certifications, or apprenticeships to stay relevant in evolving technologies.
Demonstrate adaptability, as employers increasingly value flexible, multi-disciplinary contributors.
Show genuine commitment to sustainability, through volunteering, research, or industry engagement.
The clean energy sector’s momentum in 2025 is unmatched, with record-breaking gains in capacity, jobs, and investment. Yet along with progress comes the urgency to bridge skills gaps, compete for top talent, and adapt to a rapidly changing hiring landscape.
For employers and recruiters, success hinges on creative strategies: widening candidate pools, valuing transferable skills, and investing in continuous training. For candidates, now is the moment to step into meaningful careers, if they remain agile and committed to developing in-demand expertise.
The challenges are real, but so is the potential. By aligning hiring practices, career development, and skills growth with the sector’s evolving needs, both employers and job seekers can play a pivotal role in shaping a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
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