In evidence to a consultation entitled Securing the benefits of Scotland’s next energy revolution, the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in Scotland (Alliance Scotland) called for a proportion of a proposed Future Generations Fund to be invested in skills.
Recent research by Scottish Renewables suggests the offshore wind industry alone has the potential to create more than 28,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in Scotland, with an additional 20,000 jobs created through indirect and induced effects by 2020.
However, there is already evidence that the renewable energy industry is facing difficulties in finding suitably skilled workers to fill vacancies in roles including project managers, electrical engineers and turbine technicians.
A study by renewable energy industry trade body RenewableUK found more than 25% of green energy employers struggling to fill certain roles, compared with just 3% in 2008.
Jacqui Hepburn, director of Alliance Scotland, said it was clear the renewable energy industry offered huge potential for employment and economic growth in Scotland, but that skills must not be overlooked.
"An emerging industry such as renewable energy needs to be nurtured. Putting in place the right skills is a key ingredient for success," she said.
"The next few years will be crucial, since many of these industries may not truly begin to take off until the middle of the decade. By that point, we need to have in place enough people with the right skills to meet a major spike in labour demand," Hepburn added.
Alliance Scotland, through its 23 constituent Sector Skills Councils, represents employers on skills issues in areas ranging from construction to financial services and hospitality to energy.
