Offshore wind - skills priorities and action plan: equality impact assessment (EQIA)

Background

Scotland’s offshore wind sector is expanding as it mobilises to deliver a potential project pipeline of over 40 GW. This creates a step-change in demand for people with the necessary skills at the same time as other parts of the energy system are undergoing significant transition.

However, the speed and scale of offshore wind development mean that an additional focus on skills is required to support project delivery, anchor supply-chain opportunities in Scotland, maintain investor confidence, and ensure that local communities benefit directly from the economic opportunities of offshore wind, including secure, fair and rewarding work.

To respond to the scale of this challenge, the Scottish Government convened the Offshore Wind Skills Short-Life Working Group (SLWG) in February 2025, bringing together representatives from industry, the public sector and trade unions.

The Group had a clear remit to identify the most pressing priority job roles in terms of likely demand; set a clear direction for the longer term by agreeing a common set of objectives; and agree initial actions to deliver against those objectives.

One of the six agreed objectives focuses specifically on diversity: ‘Diversify the offshore wind workforce by addressing structural barriers to inclusion and supporting targeted pathways for under‑represented groups.’

To support delivery of these objectives, the Plan sets out a series of initial, practical actions designed to strengthen Scotland’s offshore wind skills pipeline. These include actions focusing on:

• Expanding access to high‑quality practical experience to provide individuals from a wider range of backgrounds with clear routes to enter offshore wind careers.
• Supporting people from under‑represented groups, including those not currently in education, employment or training and people with experience of the justice system, to gain relevant qualifications and access training or job opportunities in the sector.
• Providing alternative pathways for unsuccessful applicants to apprenticeships, internships or graduate roles, helping retain talent that may otherwise be lost to the sector.
• Enabling skilled workers from adjacent sectors, such as oil and gas or maritime, to transfer into offshore wind roles through targeted transition support.
• Helping industry partners implement the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) Diversity & Inclusion guidance in a Scottish context, strengthening inclusive recruitment and workforce practices across the industry.

It is expected that the actions set out in the Plan will support partners across Scotland to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers needed by the offshore wind sector. The Plan aims to help education, training and industry partners respond effectively to future skills needs, so that industry has access to the skilled workforce it needs to deliver and Scotland’s people can benefit from the growth of the offshore wind sector.