Employment changes in the sustainable energy sector in Scotland
| Pages | 2-17 |
| Date | 04 January 2016 |
| Published date | 04 January 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2015-0038 |
| Author | Ronald William McQuaid,Ariel Bergmann |
| Subject Matter | Public policy & environmental management,Environmental technology & innovation |
Employment changes in
the sustainable energy
sector in Scotland
Ronald William McQuaid
University of Stirling, Stirling, UK, and
Ariel Bergmann
CEPMLP, Dundee University, Dundee, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to consider the development of “Green”jobs in one region of
the European Union, Scotland, where the government has sought to develop renewable and sustainable
energy industries and associated employment.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper analyses selected secondary data and policy
documents and conceptualises issues concerning employment in the renewable energy sector.
Findings –It analyses published data and projections on employment in renewable energy sectors,
consideringthe reasons for the lower actual job creation.Many of the jobs in the renewable energy sector
are likely to be high skilled, so there is need to supportthe development of low-skilled workersand job
seekers so thatthey can enter and progress in the industry. Similarly thereis a strong gender bias in the
industry which may similarly reduce the entry and retention of the best staff andinhibit social equity.
Research limitations/implications –The paper suggests that “Career first”recruitment and
development policies are needed which emphasise improving both productivity and the “quality”and
attractiveness of sustainable, long-term careers in the sector.
Practical implications –In addition to relying on general labour attraction policies and separate
industry-specific skills initiatives for those already in work, more attention needs to be given to
developing sustainable employment with career progression for people moving into, or already in,
the industry.
Originality/value –The links between support for those moving into jobs and developing the skills
of existing workers in sustainable industries have been under researched and this paper adds new
conceptual developments, in terms of “Career”first approaches and empirical analysis of employment
in renewable industries in Scotland.
Keywords Industry, Renewable energy
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
According to the European Environment Agency (2014) the move towards a “Green
Economy”is broadly characterised by the objectives of: improving resource-use
efficiency (a green economy is one that is efficient in its use of energy, water and other
material inputs); ensuring ecosystem resilience (it also protects the natural
environment, its ecosystems’structures and flows of ecosystem services); and
enhancing social equity (it promotes human well-being and fair burden sharing across
societies). “Green jobs”are seen as a major potential source of employment that is
consistent with such a move towards greater environmental, economic and social
sustainability. This may also open new opportunities for innovation and
entrepreneurship (Ahmed and McQuaid, 2005). This paper considers the
development of “Green”jobs in the renewable energy sector in Scotland, part of
the UK where the Scottish Government has sought to develop renewable and
sustainable energy industries and associated employment.
World Journal of Science,
Technology and Sustainable
Development
Vol. 13 No. 1, 2016
pp. 2-17
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2042-5945
DOI 10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2015-0038
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5945.htm
2
WJSTSD
13,1
There is no agreed definition of “Green”jobs nor a precise estimate-related
employment. The European Union (EU) (Commission of the European Community
(CEC), 2010, 2012a, b; Eurostat, 2009) set out characteristics for “Green”jobs and take a
broad definition with “Green”jobs “[…]covering all jobs that depend on the
environment or are created, substituted or redefined (in terms of skills sets, work
methods, profiles greened, etc.) in the transition process towards a greener economy ”
(CEC, 2012a)[1]. The UNEP (2008) definition is similarly broad but complementary to
this definition[2].
Much has been written on the potential growth of “Green”jobs indicating some of
the variety of jobs (e.g. skills, timing and number) even within the renewables sector.
The European Commission (CEC, 2012a, b) argue that initially high-skilled workers will
mainly benefit from the transition towards an economy that is “greener”and more
resource efficient, but more medium-skilled jobs will be created as sustainable
manufacturing and services are upgraded, although they note that lower skilled and
older workers will fare less well and need to adapt. Hence the issue of training
and longer term career development for low-skilled people already in, or potentially
entering, the industry is important.
There have been skills shortages (a lack of available suitable staff to hire) and skills
gaps (a lack of skills among existing staff) for installation and manufacturing staff,
especially as parts of the processes of both often require the use of new techniques and
equipment, and the skills of existing staff are not always used effectively (skills
utilisation) (OECD, 2010, 2011; CEDEFOP, 2012; Pearce and Stilwell, 2008; Renewable
Energy, 2011). There also remains a gender division with females under-represented in
the industry (International Labour Organization (ILO), 2011), which industry policies
will need to seek to better balance both to attract the best staff and to better achiev e
social equity goals. Partly in response, within a broader policy framework including the
Europe Union’s 2020 Strategy and the 7th Environment Action Programme, there have
been some support at the EU level for training programmes for skills development in
the sector across the entire range of skills: from installers, to maintenance personnel,
engineers and public servants (CEC, 2011).
For those with low skills, entry into many “Green’jobs in the renewable energy of
other sectors can be difficult. In recent decades, governmental approaches to
employment activation policy in the UK and many other countries have been driven
by principles of individual skills development with a focus on “Wor k First”
approaches (Lindsay et al., 2007). Moving into work in the sector may not be a
“stepping stone”to better employment if the job are low paid or without significant
prospects for career progression. However, in some cases the poor types of jobs or job
conditions, including in “Green”jobs, can lead to a cycle of low-pay no-pay leading to
work being economically unsustainable. Thisindicatestheneed for sustainable,
high-quality work in order to improve people’s situation and if the productive
potential of the person is to be realised. Hence the quality of jobs as well as the
quantity of “green”jobs is important.
Given the heterogeneity in “Green jobs”or “Green sectors”, it is useful to analyse
specific sectors, in the case of this paper we consider the renewable energy section,
specifically in Scotland. The next section outlines the context of employment in
the renewable energy sector in the EU. Third section considers energy development
and renewable energy-related employment in Scotland. Fourth section considers
employment and the industry life cycles and fifth section discusses some related skills
issues. Conclusions are then presented.
3
Sustainable
energy sector
in Scotland
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