The energy sector will create nearly 2,5 million new jobs in 2023, reaching a total of 67 million active workers worldwide, according to a report released by IEA (International Energy Agency, its acronym in English).
Of this total, 1,5 million jobs were created in the clean energy segment, while the fossil fuel sector added 940 thousand new jobs.
Photovoltaic solar energy stood out as the main renewable source in hiring, with more than 500 thousand admissions in the period.
In the electric vehicle and battery segment, jobs grew by 410 as companies positioned themselves to capture a larger share of this expanding market, even as they faced high costs and increasing global competition.
On the other hand, the wind energy sector faced a high number of layoffs due to rising costs and a slowdown in the offshore project pipeline.
Still, total employment increased, driven by the construction of a record volume of new projects.
Regional tensions and qualification challenges
Job growth in the energy sector showed significant regional variations, according to the IEA.
In China, clean energy accounted for more than 90% of the increase in hiring, while in the Middle East, 80% of new jobs were created by the fossil fuel sector.
In the fossil fuel segment, oil and gas jobs grew by about 3% in 2023, while coal sector hiring showed a structural decline.
The increase in oil and gas vacancies was driven by new LNG (liquefied natural gas) infrastructure and upstream developments in the Americas and the Middle East.
According to the IEA, fossil fuel employment growth is expected to stagnate in 2024, reflecting companies' cautious balancing between short-term demands and long-term prospects.
Many sectors are also struggling with a shortage of skilled workers, especially those that require high degrees of specialization, such as nuclear energy.
Salaries and working conditions
After a drop in 2022 caused by the effects of the pandemic, wages in the energy sector resumed growth in 2023.
Specialized roles saw increases of up to 9% in major markets, while more generic occupations faced smaller adjustments.
The IEA highlighted that wages in the clean energy sector have grown faster than in the fossil fuel sector.
However, he highlighted that workers in the oil and gas sector still earn, on average, around 15% more than their peers in clean sources, highlighting a disparity between the segments.
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