The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published a study that that examines future U.S. offshore wind workforce growth and identifies future workforce development needs. The report estimates that the offshore wind industry will need an average of between 15,000 and 58,000 full-time jobs every year from 2024 to 2030, depending on the amount of American-made content used – an increase from less than 1,000 jobs today.
Most of these new jobs would be in manufacturing. Other jobs are likely to be added in project development, wind turbine installation (which includes ports and vessels), and ongoing operations and maintenance.
The U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment identifies the following actions needed to meet the growing demand for offshore wind energy jobs:
- Attract and train skilled tradespeople, who represent the largest pool of potential offshore wind energy workers
- Standardize and create clear, accessible pathways for workers to obtain required safety and other skills training
- Help workers from similar fields, including offshore oil and gas, transition into the offshore wind energy industry
- Prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives to attract and retain more members of underrepresented and underserved populations
- Ensure coordination and collaboration between industry stakeholders and regional partners on major workforce challenges through efforts like the DOE-sponsored Offshore Wind Workforce Network.
