Scotland's Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan: Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA)

Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan: Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA)

1. Aims and Objectives

The aim of the Offshore Wind Skills Priorities & Action Plan is to support the training of the skilled workforce Scotland will need to deliver its potential offshore wind project pipeline of over 40 GW.

To achieve this, the Scottish Government convened the Offshore Wind Skills Short-Life Working Group, bringing together industry, the public sector and trade unions to:

• Identify priority job roles in greatest demand;

• Agree a common set of long-term skills objectives; and

• Commit to early, coordinated actions to strengthen training provision, workforce transition and inclusion across Scotland

• Strengthen alignment between industry, further and higher education and other providers to ensure training provision reflects the needs of the offshore wind sector and leads to employment while supporting initiatives that align with available funding opportunities from both public and private sectors.

• Expand access to relevant training in key regions - which meets the needs of young people entering the sector, career changers and those who require upskilling - to meet forecast offshore wind workforce demand.

• Diversify the offshore wind workforce by addressing structural barriers to inclusion and supporting targeted pathways for under-represented groups.

• Support a just transition of workers from related sectors, particularly oil and gas, into the offshore wind sector.

• Promote sustainable employment for individuals both within and between sectors.

The Plan’s objectives are to:

• Increase the supply of a skilled workforce with the technical and professional capabilities essential for meeting both current and future demands of Scotland’s offshore wind sector, with a focus on critical skills and those that offer strong value for money and contribute significantly to economic impact.

While the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s (OWIC) Skills Intelligence Report 2025 identified three regions where there would be highest demand - Aberdeen and the North-East, the Highlands and Islands and Tayside, Central and Fife - the scale of demand means that the large population centres across Scotland will also be key sources of skilled labour.

Initial assessment suggests no evidence that the Plan will have a significantly different impact on island communities compared with other regions, since it focuses on national-level coordination, capacity building, and training access. However, the Plan’s actions are expected to benefit island communities indirectly, particularly through skills development associated with offshore wind development activity in the surrounding areas.

2. Data and Stakeholders

Several major offshore wind projects are located close to island communities, including the West of Orkney project (located 30km off the west coast of Orkney), and lease options awarded to a number of projects located around islands such as Shetland (Stoura and Arven); Western Isles (Havbredey, Talisk and Spiorad na Mara); Colonsay, Mull and Islay (MachairWind and Malin Sea Wind).

Data specific to individual island areas is limited, as the Scottish Government does not hold centralised workforce statistics for these communities. However, available information indicates that population size and proximity to offshore wind-related activity differs between islands. There are no significant disparities in how the Action Plan itself applies, rather there are differences in local capacity to benefit from sector growth. Overall, there is no evidence to suggest the Plan will have a materially different effect between island groups.

Delivery of the actions will sit with those delivery partners named in the action plan, these include: Scottish Funding Council, ECITB, Energy Skills Partnership, Colleges Scotland, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Ayrshire College, Energy Innovation, Universities Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council, Scottish Renewables, Offshore Wind Industry Council, Equate Scotland.

Partners named as leading on the actions are responsible for ensuring that regional needs, including those of island communities, are taken into account. The Offshore Wind Skills Programme Board will be responsible for monitoring delivery of the actions across all regions.

3. Consultation and Engagement

The Offshore Wind Skills Short-Life Working Group (SLWG) was convened in early 2025 and included representation from public bodies with island responsibilities and regional interests – notably the Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Their participation helped ensure that the perspectives of island and rural communities could be reflected in the development of the Action Plan.

The Action Plan is a national strategic framework that does not introduce new regulations, or location-specific delivery mechanisms. It builds on existing evidence and stakeholder engagement undertaken through the SLWG process.

When implementing actions in the Plan, delivery partners will consider any accessibility or participation issues for residents of island communities.

4. Assessment

No unique or disproportionate impacts on island communities have been identified. As a national strategic framework, the Plan focuses on developing the skills needed to deliver Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions and does not introduce site‑specific projects or funding decisions that would directly affect particular communities.

Island populations tend to be smaller and older than the mainland average, but the Plan is not expected to influence demographic trends directly. Any population‑related effects are likely to be positive and indirect, arising from improved access to training and employment linked to offshore wind developments near island areas.

Economically, the Plan may support island regions by strengthening workforce pathways connected to nearby offshore projects, including those around Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. No negative or differential impacts are anticipated, as actions apply consistently across Scotland.

No impacts on Gaelic language or culture are expected.

Socially, the Plan may help raise awareness of renewable energy careers and create opportunities for young people and career changers to participate in the energy transition. No adverse social effects are identified.

The main potential barriers relate to existing challenges, such as transport connectivity and the availability of local training infrastructure, that can affect access to training and employment from island locations. These issues are not created by the Plan but will be considered by delivery partners as actions are implemented.

5. Is a full Island Communities Impact Assessment required?

Based on the evidence gathered, no policy issues were identified during the course of the development of the Plan which would have an effect on an island community which was significantly different from the effect on other communities in Scotland (including other island communities). It was therefore not considered necessary to conduct an ICIA.

The Plan is a national, strategic framework focussed on coordination, workforce development and partnership activity rather than place-specific interventions. The Plan identifies that the Highlands and Islands will be one of the regions where demand for offshore wind skills will be highest but recognises that the potential scale of the demand means that large population centres in Scotland must also be considered as important sources of skilled labour.

Island circumstances, including geographic spread, connectivity, and training access, have been considered through representation from the Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and other regional stakeholders in the development of the Plan. Any regional or local variation in implementation will be monitored by the Offshore Wind Skills Programme Board, with existing mechanisms available to address emerging issues.

Accordingly, a full Island Communities Impact Assessment is not required.

6. A full Islands Community Impact Assessment is NOT required

In preparing the ICIA, we have formed an opinion that Scotland’s Offshore Wind Skills Priorities & Action Plan is NOT likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities (including other island communities). The reason for this is detailed below.

7. Reason for not completing a full Islands Communities Impact Assessment:

The Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan is a national strategic framework focused on offshore wind skills development and coordination across Scotland. It does not introduce place-specific projects, investment decisions, or policies that would directly affect individual communities.

While some offshore wind developments are located close to island areas and the Highlands and Islands will be one of the regions where demand for offshore wind skills will be highest, the Plan’s actions apply across Scotland and are expected to have broadly similar impacts on all regions. Island communities may experience positive, indirect benefits through opportunities linked to nearby offshore wind activity and skills initiatives.

No unique or disproportionate impacts have been identified. Region-specific challenges, such as training access or connectivity, will be considered by delivery partners as part of implementation planning, with progress monitored by the Offshore Wind Skills Programme Board.

Accordingly, the Plan is not likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities, and a full Islands Communities Impact Assessment is not required

8. Sign Off

ICIA completed by: Sean Torrens

Position: Head of Skills, Offshore Wind Skills Unit

Signature and date: S Torrens, 25/11/2025

ICIA approved by: Laura Murdoch

Position: Deputy Director, Offshore Wind Policy and Skills

Signature and date: L Murdoch, 13/03/26