Scotland’s Offshore wind skills plan: 12 actions for 2026/27
The Scottish Government has published a joint priorities and action plan to build the offshore wind workforce, setting out twelve concrete actions scheduled across 2026/27 to meet the sector’s immediate skills needs and to guide longer‑term delivery (Powering Progress Together: Scotland's offshore wind skills priorities and action plan - gov.scot). The Plan targets seven priority roles, emphasises regions where demand will be highest, and aligns delivery around six objectives focused on industry: education alignment, access, diversity, just transition and sustainable employment. Delivery is framed as a collaborative, governance‑backed programme to ensure Scotland has enough people with the right skills at the right time for its 40 GW pipeline.
Introduction
In November 2025, the Scottish Government has published Scotland’s Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan, setting out a coordinated programme to build the workforce needed to deliver a potential project pipeline of over 40 GW. The Plan builds on significant work already underway across government, colleges, universities, skills bodies and industry, while recognising that the speed and scale of offshore wind development requires additional, targeted actions to anchor supply chain opportunities, maintain investor confidence and secure community benefits. Earlier in 2025, the Government convened the Offshore Wind Skills Short‑Life Working Group to identify priority job roles, agree a common set of objectives, and commit to additional actions to be taken forward into 2026/27.
Why this matters
Scotland’s offshore wind build‑out is central to the country’s energy transition and economic strategy, and the size of the 40 GW pipeline creates a step‑change in demand for skills across the project lifecycle. Workforce capacity is now a delivery‑critical variable for project schedules, for anchoring manufacturing and services in Scotland, and for sustaining investor and community confidence through long‑term, high‑quality employment. Many of the priority roles overlap with the electricity grid build‑out and other clean‑energy sectors, intensifying competition for talent and reinforcing the need for coordinated pathways into and across the sector.
Priority roles and demand locations
The Offshore Wind Skills Short‑Life Working Group agreed to focus collective action on seven immediate priority roles:
- Installation & Maintenance Electricians
- Metal Working Production & Maintenance Fitters
- Wind Turbine Technicians, Mechanical Design Engineers
- Engineering Technicians
- Electrical Engineers
- Marine and Waterways Transport Operatives.
The Plan provides concise descriptors clarifying that these roles span turbine assembly and maintenance, electrical systems design and integration, hands‑on technical support, and marine vessel operations essential to construction and O&M. Demand is predicted to be highest in Aberdeen and the North‑East, the Highlands and Islands, and Tayside, Central and Fife, with large population centres also critical sources of skilled labour. As development typically spans 5–10 years, construction 2–4 years, and O&M up to 35 years, training pipelines must start well ahead of demand peaks and sustain capability over decades.
Six objectives guiding delivery
The Plan’s six objectives set the direction for both immediate action and longer‑term collaboration. They are to:
- increase the supply of a skilled workforce with the technical and professional capabilities the sector requires;
- strengthen alignment between industry and further/higher education so provision reflects sector needs and leads to employment;
- expand access to relevant training in key regions for young entrants, career‑changers and upskilling workers;
- diversify the workforce by addressing structural barriers and creating targeted pathways;
- support a just transition from related sectors, particularly oil and gas; and
- promote sustainable employment within and between sectors.
Twelve actions scheduled for 2026/27
The Plan sets out twelve early actions for delivery in 2026/27:
| Action | Who | What | Why | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Level 5 Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship | Scottish Funding Council (SFC) with Scottish Development Scotland (SDS) and others | Scope and cost a new Level 5 Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship | Open accessible pathways into engineering apprenticeships for a wider range of learners to meet offshore wind demand | June 2026 |
| 2. ‘Work Ready’ programmes and the offshore wind sector | Colleges Scotland with Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), industry, Energy Skills Partnership (ESP), local authorities | Increase places on ECITB college‑based ‘work ready’ programmes and similar initiatives | Secure more guaranteed interviews with offshore wind employers and improve access for under‑represented groups | 2026/27 |
| 3. Cross‑skilling programme for oil and gas workers | ECITB with Colleges Scotland, ESP and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult | Increase places on cross‑skilling for Wind Turbine Technicians recognising existing experience | Support just transition and strengthen the wind workforce | 2026/27 |
| 4. Scottish Wind Technician Education Centre | Ayrshire College and Energy Innovation | Establish a strategic partnership to set up a leading hub for Global Wind Organisation (GWO) ‑accredited training and technician education | Expand capacity and capability in a priority role across offshore and onshore wind | initial modules in 2026 |
| 5. Relevant courses in Scottish universities | SFC with Universities Scot | Review existing university provision, including upskilling courses, that could offer pathways into priority roles | Quantify and build on provision to meet projected demand | December 2026 |
| 6. Central recruitment information‑sharing system | SDS with industry | Design a model for a central information‑sharing system, drawing on the manufacturing Pre‑Approved Talent Scheme | Signpost unsuccessful applicants to other opportunities, including with SME | June 2026 |
| 7. Industry training programmes and facilities | Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) with Scottish Renewables and employers | Audit current industry training programmes and facilities | Identify collaboration opportunities to meet increasing demand | March 2026 |
| 8. ‘Industry in Residence’ programme | SOWEC with Colleges Scotland, Universities Scotland and others | Create a structure and pilot for an industry‑in‑residence model | Deepen partnership working so course content reflects industry requirements and can be scaled if successful | December 2026 |
| 9. Competency routes for priority occupations | OWIC with SOWEC and industry partners | Identify gaps in competency routes and assess where apprenticeships, modular learning or short‑term upskilling could be developed | Build an evidence base to inform priority pathways to competency | December 2026 |
| 10. Diversity and inclusion | SOWEC with equality experts such as Equate Scotland and industry partners | Issue advice on implementing OWIC D&I best practice in a Scottish context | Tackle underrepresentation and attract a broader range of people | July 2026 |
| 11. Internship and work‑based opportunities | SOWEC with offshore wind companies, Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland | Determine a model to increase internships and work‑based opportunities | Expand access to practical experience that supports entry and retention | October 2026 |
| 13. Additional opportunities for those in maritime industries | ESP with Scottish Government | Analyse demand for targeted training enabling marine users to access offshore wind opportunities and, if sufficient, design provision | Support cross‑skilling into the sector and leverage an experienced workforce | June 2026 |
Practical implications
Developers should engage with SOWEC‑led audits and the ‘Industry in Residence’ pilot to shape provision, align early‑career pipelines with the central recruitment model to retain redirected candidates, and consider co‑funding or host internships tied to priority pathways. Suppliers and SMEs should prepare to receive signposted candidates via the central model, map internal roles against the competency routes workstream, and participate in ECITB ‘work ready’ and cross‑skilling programmes to accelerate onboarding.
With development phases typically spanning 5–10 years, construction 2–4 years and O&M up to 35 years, training and recruitment must be initiated well ahead of project milestones, with sustained capacity to support long‑term operations. Given multi‑year training lead times in engineering and technical roles, early engagement with pathways and cross‑skilling programmes will be essential to meet peak demand without compromising quality or safety.
The Plan underscores the need for sustained, delivery‑focused collaboration supported by clear governance and robust evidence, with the establishment of an Offshore Wind Skills Programme as the coordinating mechanism. This joint priorities and action plan is positioned as an immediate, collective commitment to act now and a signal that Scotland will build a workforce capable of delivering its offshore wind ambitions and securing lasting benefits.
Co-authored by Lewis McCann, trainee solicitor.
