Skills partnership for digitalisation in Europe’s energy sector

A ‘large-scale skills partnership’ has been established by stakeholders from Europe’s energy industry with support of the European Commission.

The skills partnership, which was foreseen in the energy system digitalisation action plan, is aimed to boost skills development as companies look more and more to automation and digitalisation in their operations.

The stakeholders – so far not named – including industry and research organisations will join forces to design, implement and disseminate specialised training programmes tackling the challenges of the digitalisation of the energy system, a statement reads

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As a basis they will use the results of the Erasmus+ programme ‘EDDIE’ (EDucation for Digitalisation of Energy) blueprint alliance on skills for the digitalisation of the energy value chain.

The four year project, which is led by the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain, is due for completion at the end of 2023.

Some of the skills gaps identified in the project for the sector include data capture, management and analysis, computer programming and tools, cybersecurity and green skills.

The project also has found the demand for skills far outweighs the offer in areas including digital platforms, communications technologies and cloud services.

The large-scale skills partnership was established under the EU Pact for Skills initiative, which is aimed to boost skills development in sectors across Europe’s economy.

Other large-scale skills partnerships established include those for renewable energy and for offshore renewable energy.

The EU’s latest ‘Competitiveness progress report on clean energy technologies’ found that despite a positive trend in the employment rate in the sector, skills shortages may impact its growth, with over three-quarters of SMEs reporting in 2023 that it is generally difficult for them to find workers with the right skills.

Moreover, one quarter of EU businesses involved in electrical equipment manufacturing faced shortages in the labour market.

EIT InnoEnergy, Schneider Electric partnership

EIT InnoEnergy and Schneider Electric have entered into a partnership in which the latter will participate in masters programmes in smart electrical networks and systems and smart cities.

Schneider Electric anticipates guiding students through real-world case studies and gaining exclusive access to the pool of skilled graduates from the universities linked with InnoEnergy’s programmes.

Gwenaelle Avice Huet, Executive Vice President of Europe Operations at Schneider Electric, says it can be challenging finding the right people to join companies.

“Now students can work on key topics like electrical networks, the grid and energy within smart cities.”