Global Energy Workforce Reaches 76 Million As Clean Power Drives Record Job Growth In 2024 – IEA Report

Global energy employment has continued to grow strongly in 2024, outpacing the overall economic job growth for the third year in a row. According to recent data, the total workforce in the global energy sector has reached 76 million workers this year. This represents a growth rate of 2.2%, nearly double the 1.3% growth rate recorded across the overall economy. Since 2019, the energy sector has added 5.4 million new jobs, contributing to around 2.4% of all new jobs created worldwide during this period. This sharp rise highlights a significant acceleration from the trends before the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that the energy sector continues to play a major role in global employment expansion.

A defining feature of this growth is the rise of the electricity sector, which has become the largest employer in the energy industry for the first time. It has overtaken the traditional fuel supply segment and marks what experts are calling the Age of Electricity. In the past five years, jobs in electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and storage have increased by 3.9 million, accounting for almost three-quarters of the total employment growth across energy. Solar PV has emerged as the strongest contributor to this expansion, responsible for half of the new jobs created in the electricity sector since 2019. The shift toward electrification is also reshaping related industries such as vehicle manufacturing. Employment in this sector increased notably due to the rapid growth of electric vehicle (EV) production. Nearly 800,000 jobs linked to EVs were added in the last year alone. In China, which is a major EV production hub, almost 40% of all vehicle manufacturing jobs are now associated with EVs and battery manufacturing.

Despite the rising importance of renewable energy technologies, job growth is occurring across almost all parts of the energy sector. Coal supply, driven mainly by emerging markets and developing economies such as India, China, and Indonesia, has seen a rise in employment. Global coal-related jobs are now 8% higher in 2024 compared to 2019. The oil and gas sector has also recovered most of the positions it lost during the economic shock of 2020. However, uncertainty in global oil prices has resulted in some major energy companies announcing plans to reduce workforce numbers in 2025. Energy employment growth is strongest in emerging economies, with India recording a growth rate of 5.8%, followed by Indonesia at 4.8% and the Middle East at 3.5%. China reported 2.2% growth, whereas advanced economies registered much lower job growth at 0.4%.

Looking forward to 2025, global energy employment is expected to continue growing, though at a slower pace of around 1.3%, influenced by market uncertainty. However, the electricity and power segments are expected to remain resilient, with anticipated growth of around 3.4%. While job growth remains strong, a major challenge threatening the sector is the shortage of skilled labor. More than half of the over 700 surveyed energy companies, unions, and education providers reported serious recruitment difficulties. Shortages are most severe in technical and applied trades such as electricians, pipefitters, power-line technicians, and engineering roles. These jobs represent more than half of the entire global energy workforce.

Another critical concern is the aging workforce. In advanced economies, there are 2.4 workers nearing retirement age for every young worker under 25. By 2035, two out of every three new employees will be needed simply to replace retiring workers. To avoid worsening shortages, the number of students entering energy-related training and education programs must increase by around 40% by 2030. This requirement can be supported through global investments of about USD 2.6 billion annually to expand training capacity. Retraining existing workers is another practical solution. Research shows that around two-thirds of workers currently employed in oil and gas roles already have core skills that can be transferred to clean energy or other parts of the sector with focused training programs. Maintaining competitive wages will also be essential to attract talent. Oil, gas, and nuclear segments continue to offer the highest pay, and oil and gas wages are expected to rise by an average of 3.7% in 2025.

Targeted policies such as financial incentives for energy trainees, apprenticeship programs, and measures to increase female participation in technical roles will be crucial. Coordinated support from governments, industries, and labor groups is needed to prevent skill shortages from slowing down progress. The energy sector remains a major source of high-quality, well-paid jobs and plays an important role in building modern supply chains and ensuring energy security. Skilled workforce availability will be key for the world’s ability to meet clean energy goals affordably while also strengthening global competitiveness.