In a new survey conducted by the industry organization Svensk vindenergi, 26 different companies in the wind power industry answered questions about recruitment needs, skills and future workforce.
The results show that more than half of the companies are worried or quite worried about the future supply of skills – both for the energy transition in general and, above all, for their own industry.
"In many ways, it confirms the picture we already had and strengthens the message that we must work more with this and ensure that the training places are available and filled," says Ylva Tengblad, sustainability manager at Svensk vindenergi.
Increased need
Several government reports indicate that Sweden may more than double its electricity use over the next 25 years and that wind power will need to be an important part of the solution. And there is no shortage of jobs.
Throughout 2021, there were 26 published job advertisements aimed at wind power technicians at the Swedish Public Employment Service. In 2022, there were a total of 155. And now, just three months into 2023, there are already at least 54 jobs as a wind power engineer to apply for.
"But I wouldn't really say I'm worried. This is such a positive problem, I feel confident that we will solve it, says Ylva Tengblad.
"Searching with candles and lanterns"
A report from the Wind Power Center indicates that there will be a shortage of about 170 wind power technicians per year in the next few years. And the shortage is already affecting companies in different ways:
"It becomes overloaded on the technicians that exist today and we are falling behind with the planned work. We are looking for technicians all the time, but it is very difficult, says Björn Carlsson, service team manager at the wind power company EnBW.
See the expert's list of what measures are needed to attract more people to the wind energy industry in the video above.