Pale, male and stale. It’s a reputation the UK energy sector, particularly offshore oil and gas, has long struggled to shake.
The number of women working in offshore roles has remained “stubbornly static” in recent years, comprising just under 4% of the North Sea workforce according to trade body Offshore Energies UK.
Similarly, the offshore sector is striving to improve the racial diversity of senior leadership positions, amid concerns about “diversity fatigue”, raised by Dr Ollie Folayan, co-chair, AFBE-UK Scotland in January.
It’s an issue the renewable energy sector also faces as it too works to increase the representation of women and ethnic minorities.
The impact of a lack of diversity in the UK energy sector can be seen in areas ranging from a lack of suitable protective equipment, to gender pay gaps and discrimination.
Meanwhile, greater diversity can have a positive impact on energy transition goals.
Research shows companies with more women on their boards are more likely to be on track to meet climate targets.
But with a ‘Great Crew Change’ looming as many workers move closer to retirement, what impact does age have on the UK energy sector and the wider energy transition?
And is the industry doing enough to attract young people into critically needed roles?
Age and the UK energy transition
According to OEUK statistics, the average age of an offshore traveller is 44 years old, higher than the median age in the UK of just over 40.
The aging oil and gas workforce is leading to concerns about a loss of corporate knowledge when these older workers retire.
But age can also affect how people in the energy sector approach their careers even before they reach retirement.
University of Reading Henley Business School lecturer Dr Kirsty Denyer has conducted research into the re-employment prospects of North Sea oil and gas workers.
Alongside factors like education and gender, Dr Denyer told Energy Voice that age can influence the way people approach transitioning from oil and gas into renewables.
“What I didn’t find was that people were saying ‘I’m worried about being older and therefore I might not be able to retrain,” she said.
“What I did find was older workers tended to say that they were worried that they might be perceived as not such a good hire as a younger worker.
“That was in relation to the renewables industry, but also in general.”
Retraining and reskilling
Dr Denyer said older workers can have concerns that they are perceived as harder to manage and retrain, and that they may not have as many career development opportunities in front of them.
Those over 50 described feeling at a disadvantage in the job hunt, particularly those contemplating career transitions to renewable energy and facing reskilling.
In general, Dr Denyer said some research suggests that older workers in many industries find it harder to gain reemployment.
But in her conversations with North Sea workers, she found even people in their 30s and 40s held concerns about their future within oil and gas due to the cycle of downturns.
Research also shows older oil and gas workers with lower skill levels may be “particularly at risk” in the energy transition.
A case study in Poland found half of miners in lower-skilled, manual or routine occupations often fail to obtain work in green or neutral jobs after becoming unemployed.
Instead, they were more likely to leave the workforce altogether, with age seen as a contributing factor.
Meanwhile, research in the US found fossil fuel sector workers in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and those without university degrees, appear least likely to move into green jobs.
Transferrable skills
Dr Denyer said while North Sea workers have highly transferrable skills for renewables, they often had concerns about how to “repackage and sell” their skills in a new industry.
Oil and gas workers also felt “stigmatised” as the “dirty cousins” of the renewables sector, Dr Denyer said.
One participant in the study even reflected that the websites of renewable energy companies often portray a younger and more diverse workforce, and as someone in the “pale, male” demographic he didn’t see himself represented.
Offshore workers also wanted more clarity on future available jobs and initiatives like the proposed skills passport to help them overcome barriers to retraining.
While workers of all ages faced similar challenges, Dr Denyer said for older workers their age was yet another added factor.
Despite this, around 80% of North Sea workers would consider moving to a job outside of the oil and gas industry according to a recent Greenpeace report, highlighting high levels of willingness to transfer if the right support is provided.
Do generational views differ on the energy transition?
Often there is a perception that younger people are more supportive of climate action than older generations.
A 2024 Australian survey found only 47% of people aged over 55 had positive attitudes towards the shift to renewables, compared to 66% of those below 35.
People over 55 were also twice as likely to believe the energy transition was happening too quickly compared to younger age groups.
However, Cambridge University research determined age was not a significant factor in how supportive people in the UK are towards renewables, nor did it impact whether people preferred solar, wind, or nuclear energy.
Where generations may differ most strongly is in their emotional response to climate change.
A Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) study found significant generational differences in the way different age groups felt about climate change.
The study showed Millennials and Gen Z experienced more fear, guilt and outrage over the impact of climate change compared to their older counterparts.
The CAST researchers said these contrasting emotional responses could be linked to why younger generations often demonstrate higher levels of activism and engagement on climate issues.
Study author Professor Wouter Poortinga said this is “not completely surprising”, as younger generations will “feel the brunt” of a changing climate more than older people.
“We have to be careful not to put the onus on younger generations to solve climate change,” Wouter said.
“Older generations have a responsibility to take action now to mitigate climate change for future generations.”
Environment vs economy
According to a Kings College London report, another area where generations disagree is over whether environmental concerns should be prioritised over economic growth.
Around 66% of Gen Z and 57% of Millennials think the environment should take precedence, compared to 44% of Baby Boomers and 45% of Gen X.
Young people are also much more likely to consider the environmental record of companies when looking for a job.
And despite the UK energy sector desperately needing to recruit skilled workers to fill energy transition roles, a report from The Prince’s Trust found younger people are poorly informed about green jobs and not as interested in pursuing them.
Even among those working in the energy sector already, workers aged between 25 and 29 were 25% more likely to want to leave the industry than their older colleagues.
Meanwhile, the European Youth Energy Forum identified barriers to youth engagement in energy issues including distrust, a lack of information and opportunities, and ageism.
The group also highlighted ‘youth washing’ in energy companies, where young people are included without giving them any real input or action related to their concerns.
Young people ‘need mentors’
Younger professionals working in the North Sea oil and gas sector have also spoken about the barriers they faced breaking into the industry due to their age.
At the recent 2024 OEUK conference in Aberdeen, TAQA UK placement student Katy Kana told attendees of the difficulties she faced finding entry level work in the oil and gas sector.
Originally from Malaysia, Kana studied mechanical engineering and had ambitions of working offshore since the age of 19.
After living in Australia for three years and starting a family, Kana said after moving to Scotland she had to wait three more years before she could resume her studies in 2019.
Still passionate about working in oil and gas, Kana said she applied for various technician roles but never heard back about many of the positions.
“For someone like me who didn’t take the typical career route and was now too old for most apprenticeship programmes, and lacking in experience due to the career gap to have a family, there weren’t many opportunities available,” Kana said.
After eventually securing a placement position with TAQA at its Brae hub, Kana finally fulfilled her dream of travelling offshore.
‘We want to challenge ourselves’
But she implored the industry to do more to provide opportunities for young people.
“I could not have grown as much, or achieved any of this, if I was not firstly given the opportunity.
“If I had to speak for my generation, what I would like to say is that we want to contribute.
“We want to challenge ourselves, we want to learn, we want to innovate, we want the experience, we want to be part of the solution. We would like our potential recognised.”
Kana said young people needed mentors willing to provide a “handover of knowledge”, which they could then pass on to future generations.
“But for us to be able to do this, we firstly need the opportunity to break into the industry. There are several entry level positions available, but not enough,” she said.
“Whether it’s through advocating for more entry level positions in your companies or mentoring or volunteering, please invest in our generation.
“Please give us our first foothold so that we can be part of the future.”
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