WindEurope has launched a new careers hub for Europe’s wind industry, designed to connect students, jobseekers and professionals from other sectors with the employment opportunities being created by the expansion of wind energy across Europe.

The initiative comes as the sector expects to create more than 100,000 new jobs by 2030, while already facing difficulties in recruiting for several technical roles.

The new platform serves as a single entry point for careers in the wind industry. Users can explore job profiles, learn about potential career pathways, find training opportunities and connect with companies that are hiring.

WindEurope says the tool is aimed both at young people deciding on their future careers and at workers looking to move into the sector, as well as people currently outside the labour market.

Wind industry seeks thousands of technical workers

The expected growth in employment is increasing demand for specialised workers. According to WindEurope, Europe will need around 7,000 blade technicians, 6,500 field engineers and 5,000 pre-assembly technicians by 2030.

The association says skills shortages are already becoming visible and that filling these roles will be essential to support the industry’s expansion over the coming years.

At the same time, WindEurope points to a large potential pool of younger workers. Citing Eurostat data, it notes that around one in seven jobseekers aged between 15 and 24 is unemployed, while the wind sector needs to recruit new workers rapidly.

Nearly 600,000 wind jobs by 2030

Wind energy currently supports close to half a million jobs in Europe, and WindEurope expects employment in the sector to reach around 600,000 by 2030.

Opportunities span the entire value chain, from manufacturing, construction and installation to operations and maintenance, project development and decommissioning.

The Careers Hub also includes roles beyond purely technical positions, such as data specialists, project managers, finance professionals, lawyers, communications experts and supply-chain specialists.

The platform also includes a questionnaire to help users identify which roles may best match their skills and interests, as well as information on degrees, apprenticeships, graduate programmes, internships and other training opportunities.

Over 250 wind factories in Europe

WindEurope links the employment challenge to the expansion of Europe’s industrial base. The continent currently has more than 250 factories producing wind turbines and related equipment.

Over the past four years, the industry has also invested more than €17 billion in new factories and factory expansions, as well as in ports and vessels supporting wind energy development.

Through the new Careers Hub, WindEurope aims to narrow the gap between rising labour demand and the people who could enter the sector by bringing together information on jobs, training, companies and career pathways in one place.