EU battery skills programme touts 50,000 course completion milestone

The InnoEnergy Skills Institute has concluded specialised training courses for over 50,000 students, a milestone they tout towards addressing workforce demands within the battery industry.

InnoEnergy, a training skills provider for the sustainable energy workforce in Europe, achieved the milestone nearly two years since its inception in February 2022.

50,000 learners completed training courses designed to equip them with essential skills for navigating the battery value chain.

These training programmes, developed in collaboration with the European Battery Alliance, covered topics such as battery fundamentals through to technical courses encompassing knowledge in battery management systems, battery testing, safety and security.

Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission executive vice-president, said in a release: “We want our European industry to be leaders in the green transition. This of course includes European manufacturers of sustainable batteries, whom as recently announced, we will support with financial aid of up to €3 billion ($3.2 billion).

“With this support, but also with the continuation of our efforts to prepare the workforce with skills for the evolving industry, we will bolster the competitive edge of our companies and secure a strong value chain for batteries. The European Battery Alliance skills programme serves as a successful blueprint for other sectors.”

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According to the Institute, annual demand for lithium-ion batteries projected to reach 4,700GWh by 2030 globally – an increase of more than six times the global usage figure of around 700GWh in 2022. Stationary storage installations worldwide are also predicted to reach over 400GW by the end of 2030 – 15 times the battery storage capacity online at the end of 2021.

As the sector continues to expand, employers and employees will need to adapt. Market analysis signals 800,000 workers will need to be trained or upskilled by the end of 2025 to meet the new demand in Europe.

In addition, more than 700 unique job profiles and skills in the sector have been identified in a recent report by InnoEnergy Skills Institute. The range of occupations encompasses skills required to mine materials, design, manufacture, integrate within applications, decommission and recycle batteries.

Said Oana Penu, InnoEnergy Skills Institute director: “EIT InnoEnergy firmly believes that enabling ecosystems is key to addressing skills gaps at scale. Through the InnoEnergy Skills Institute we are mobilising both industry and training development partners as multipliers, we can successfully propagate knowledge to even more learners around Europe.

“At a critical moment for European industry, we aim to empower the workforce to be active participants in the net zero transition and ensure nobody is left behind.”

The Institute’s growth has been facilitated by support from 11 Member States and regions, including Spain, France, Hungary, Gothenburg Region, Romania, Bulgaria, Flanders, Wallonia, Ireland, Slovakia, and partnerships with employment agency ManpowerGroup and skills and talent development company NIIT.

Riccardo Barberis, ManpowerGroup’s regional president of Northern Europe said: “This programme is an investment in people and the planet, creating opportunities for individuals to have meaningful careers that benefit us all. ManpowerGroup is proud to collaborate with InnoEnergy to build a pipeline of skilled talent who will support Europe’s transition to a net-zero future is not only smart business, but the right thing to do to help people level up their potential.”