The International Energy Agency (IEA) is preparing to release fresh data on the state of the global energy workforce at a launch webinar on Friday, 5 December, offering new insight into how labour markets are responding to accelerating worldwide demand for energy infrastructure. The event, which begins at 11 a.m. Paris time, will also highlight emerging skills shortages that could hamper the pace of the energy transition.
The webinar marks the debut of World Energy Employment 2025, the fourth edition of the IEA’s annual assessment of employment trends across the global energy sector. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol will open the event with introductory remarks, setting the stage for presentations by Laura Cozzi, Director of Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, and Brian Motherway, Head of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions.
According to the IEA, the launch will be livestreamed and open to journalists, with the full report available under embargo to registered media. The agency notes that “the report and other materials are under embargo until 7 AM Paris time on Friday, 5 December.”
The World Energy Employment series has become a key reference for governments, industry leaders and investors seeking to understand how the energy transition is reshaping workforces worldwide. The report provides comprehensive tracking of the global energy workforce, offering estimates of its size and distribution across regions, sectors and technologies. It also analyzes how labour requirements evolve through 2035 across all IEA modelling scenarios.
This year’s edition introduces a new level of granularity. For the first time, the agency is releasing occupation-level estimates aimed at clarifying the specific skills, training pathways and education requirements most in demand as countries expand renewable power, modernize grids and deploy cleaner industrial technologies. The IEA says World Energy Employment 2025 “provides, for the first time, detailed occupation-level estimates, shedding new light on skills and education requirements shaping the global energy workforce.”
These insights arrive at a moment when governments and private companies across multiple regions are contending with tight labour markets. In advanced economies in particular, shortages of skilled tradespeople, engineers and technicians have already begun to slow the rollout of key energy projects. The IEA’s forthcoming findings are expected to quantify these pressures and outline where mismatches between labour supply and demand are most acute.
According to the agency, the report draws on three dedicated IEA surveys that gathered input from more than 700 energy companies, trade unions and educators. The breadth of responses offers a detailed snapshot of workforce dynamics across both conventional and clean-energy industries, from oil and gas production to solar power manufacturing, energy-efficiency services and emerging hydrogen supply chains.
The IEA notes that “insights from the report highlight how growing labour and skills shortages are becoming a major constraint for the rapid expansion of energy infrastructure globally.” That conclusion echoes concerns raised by Canadian utilities, construction firms and clean-tech developers, many of which report difficulty securing enough workers with the right qualifications to meet growing demand for electrification and emissions-reduction projects.
For policymakers, the data could provide a clearer roadmap for aligning education and training programs with anticipated workforce needs. Analysts expect particular attention to be paid to trades and technical occupations—areas where shortages can quickly derail major capital projects, from grid upgrades to renewable-energy installations.
The report may also shed light on how workforce challenges differ across regions. Emerging markets, for example, often face different constraints than advanced economies, with training capacity, certification systems and labour mobility all influencing the pace of energy-sector growth. Understanding these distinctions will be essential for investors and governments aiming to scale up energy projects in line with climate goals.
Journalists interested in reviewing the findings ahead of publication can access the report under embargo by registering for the webinar. The IEA states that “the report will be shared under embargo with reporters who register for the webinar. It will also be available upon request at [email protected].”
As countries push to accelerate clean-energy deployment, the new data is likely to reinforce a central challenge: ensuring that the global workforce can keep pace with investment. The IEA’s latest employment survey provides policymakers, educators and companies with a clearer look at the talent pipeline—and at the growing consequences of failing to strengthen it.
