Energy employment includes jobs in fuel supply (coal, oil, natural gas, bioenergy, nuclear fuel, low emissions hydrogen and critical minerals), the power sector (generation, transmission, distribution and storage), and end-uses (vehicle manufacturing and energy efficiency in buildings and industry)
The WEE 2023 report tracks employment trends over the entire energy supply chain through this turbulent period (post COVID 19) – by fuel, technology, sector, and region. The report also provides an outlook to 2030 for energy employment needs by sector across IEA scenarios, outlining key policies that could help countries cultivate and maintain a skilled energy workforce throughout the transition.
The oil industry has the largest workforce in this sector, with 7.6 million workers, followed by coal with 6.2 million, natural gas with over 4.1 million, and bioenergy with 3.6 million. More than 21.5 million people work in fuel supply, having exceeded pre-COVID employment levels in 2022.
A growing demand for critical minerals needed in the global quest for energy transition has ignited investment in the sector in Africa. More than 50% of job opportunities that have been created in the global critical minerals subsector are to be found in Africa