Ireland's renewable energy sector is facing a growing challenge sourcing engineers and project managers to work in the sector, with a lack of practical experience emerging as a bigger barrier to recruitment than skills shortages.
The report by Solar Ireland entitled ‘The Experience Gap’ carried out with recruitment platform Collins McNicholas, found that almost three-quarters (74%) of employers surveyed identified a lack of experience as a barrier to filling roles, while 60% cited skills shortages more generally.
Solar Ireland chief executive Ronan Power stated:
Ireland’s renewable sector is growing, and that means the workforce has to grow with it. But one of the clearest messages from this research is that qualifications alone aren’t the issue
The report found that engineers and project managers were among the roles proving hardest to recruit. There is also strong demand for electricians, ecologists, planners, and people with experience navigating planning applications for renewable energy and grid infrastructure.
Collins McNicholas director Michelle Murphy said:
The constraint isn’t simply about qualifications or attracting people into the sector. It’s the depth of experience employers need, and smaller, growing businesses can feel that particularly acutely.
