A critical discussion unfolded at the Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Summit (BSOWS2025) in Gdansk, as industry leaders grappled with the urgent task of building a skilled workforce to power the burgeoning offshore wind sector. A central panel debate, titled “Shaping the Offshore Workforce,” brought together HR professionals, training experts, and policy advocates to dissect the skills gap, propose solutions for attracting talent, and outline strategies for long-term workforce development in this demanding industry.

Moderated by Dr. Antonios Nestoras, the panel featured Božena Petikonis-Šabanienė, Head of HR for Ignitis Renewables; Rihards Stalmanis, Director at BOTC Training; Ekaterine Gogoberishvili, Education and Skills Senior Project Coordinator for WindEurope; and Agnieszka Rodak of the Pomeranian Centre of Competence for Offshore Wind Energy. The discussion underscored the multifaceted challenges and the collaborative spirit needed to ensure the sector has the human capital required for its ambitious growth trajectory.

Agnieszka Rodak: Building Institutional Foundations in Poland

Agnieszka Rodak kicked off the discussion by focusing on the necessity of establishing sustainable institutional frameworks for talent development in Poland. Drawing on research in the Pomerania region, she highlighted a mismatch between the demand for professions directly and potentially connected to offshore wind and the number of students pursuing relevant vocational training. “If we are talking about challenges, I think we need to focus on in Poland on building institutional solutions not to make building talents at hoc. but to create the sustainable framework for development of the industry“.

Rodak emphasized the role of the Pomeranian Centre of Competence for Renewable Energy as a collaborative hub involving universities, vocational schools, and industry players to build a training center for practical workshops. She also pointed to a critical shortage of practical training teachers, necessitating engagement with national authorities to reform the education system and make it more attractive for professionals to develop skills in the offshore wind industry.

Rihards Stalmanis: Bridging the Gap Between Training and Industry Needs

Rihards Stalmanis of BOTC Training brought a perspective grounded in the maritime and seafaring industries, drawing parallels to historical concerns about a lack of engineers and navigators. He highlighted a key challenge: while there is demand, companies often seek candidates with significant prior experience. “This is I think the main problem it’s not about how to prepare them but about how we integrate these new people, new entrants to the industry. In my opinion that is the main issue. How can we manage that?“.

Stalmanis emphasized the need for a basic level of knowledge among blue-collar workers before they enter the offshore sector, suggesting that with a solid background, the preparation time for specific offshore tasks is relatively short. He also noted the importance of providing options for those who may not be suited for offshore work to find opportunities onshore, recognizing that not everyone is a fit for the demanding offshore environment. He also mentioned the adoption of VR technologies in their training processes to enhance understanding among younger trainees.

Ekaterine Gogoberishvili: A Pan-European Approach to Skills Development

Ekaterine Gogoberishvili from WindEurope provided a broader European perspective, echoing the concerns about shortages not only in technicians but also in engineers. She highlighted WindEurope’s involvement in the EU-funded Flores program, which identified four occupational groups with the highest demand in the renewable energy sector: science and engineering, administration and commercial business operations, and information communication technologies. Notably, offshore renewable energy technicians were identified as being at the top of the list of needed job profiles, with digital and technical skills being common requirements.

Gogoberishvili emphasized the significant gap between the digital skills required by the job market and the basic digital skills possessed by a large portion of the adult population. In response to the skills challenge, WindEurope advocates for both long-term and short-term solutions, including education and industry partnerships to attract young people and working with policymakers to integrate industry needs into education policy. She also pointed to the potential of transferable skills, citing fishermen as a prime example of a workforce with sea-related skills that could be upskilled for the offshore wind industry. Discussing broader EU initiatives, Gogoberishvili highlighted the “Union of Skills” strategy and efforts towards skills portability across European countries.

Božena Petikonis-Šabanienė: Fostering Collaboration and Embracing International Talent

Božena Petikonis-Šabanienė of Ignitis Renewables, operating across the Baltic states and Poland, stressed the interconnectedness of the regional talent pool and the need for a collaborative approach among companies. “I think that the potential really lies in all companies acting in this industry. So not only developers but also those who are in the value chain. I think they should join forces“. She highlighted the complexity of the offshore wind sector, requiring diverse skills across engineering, technical, environmental, legal, and supply chain domains, with supply chain specialists being in high demand across the region.

Petikonis-Šabanienė strongly advocated for being open to international talent, drawing on the experience of other countries with established offshore wind industries. “One of things which very much strikes me today is that we need to be open for the international talent. We are not inventing the wheel. Offshore industry has already been operating in other countries for a long time. So, being open to learn is very important to get to this competence level“. She also shared a success story of attracting Lithuanian diaspora professionals back to the country. While acknowledging the need to develop local talent, she recognized the mobile nature of the offshore wind workforce and the importance of facilitating cross-border movement of skilled individuals.

Addressing the Attraction Challenge

The panel also delved into the reasons why young people might not be gravitating towards the offshore wind sector. Petikonis-Šabanienė highlighted the importance of raising awareness and dispelling outdated perceptions of the energy industry through programs like “Energy Smart Start”. She also pointed to the broader issue of declining interest in STEM fields among young people. Rodak emphasized the need to showcase the career development opportunities and high wages offered by the offshore wind industry, especially as it is a relatively new sector in Poland.

The Role of EU Support and Migration

The discussion touched upon the potential for EU support, with Rodak calling for both regulatory frameworks and financial assistance for building training centers and promoting the industry. The moderator raised the question of attracting migrant workers, given Europe’s aging population and potential workforce shortages in the future. While acknowledging the complexities of immigration policy, Gogoberishvili noted ongoing discussions at the EU level regarding strategies for attracting both highly skilled and technically skilled workers, as well as potential frameworks for recognizing vocational education and training qualifications across Europe and beyond. Stalmanis agreed on the need to welcome skilled workers to Europe.

Key Takeaways

The panel discussion underscored the critical and multifaceted nature of the workforce challenge facing the offshore wind sector. Key messages included:

  • The urgent need for collaborative efforts across the entire industry value chain to develop talent.
  • The importance of building robust institutional frameworks for training and education, including addressing the shortage of qualified teachers.
  • The necessity of bridging the gap between academic or vocational training and the practical demands of the industry, including effective integration of new entrants.
  • The value of transferable skills from related sectors as a short-term solution.
  • The critical role of STEM education and the need to attract more young people to technical fields.
  • The importance of proactive engagement to raise awareness about the opportunities and modern nature of the offshore wind industry.
  • The strategic advantage of embracing international talent and facilitating the movement of skilled workers.
  • The potential for EU and national policy support in terms of regulations and financial resources for workforce development.

The insights shared during the “Shaping the Offshore Workforce” panel at the Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Summit highlighted the collective determination to overcome the skills gap and build a resilient workforce that can deliver on the ambitious goals of the offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea region and beyond, contributing significantly to Europe’s energy transition.

The Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Summit 2025 provided a key platform for these discussions, bringing together stakeholders to tackle the challenges and opportunities in the offshore wind industry. Ignitis Renewables participated as an Official Summit Partner, contributing to the dialogue on the sector’s development.

Key support for the event was provided by Leading Summit Partners PGE Baltica and Baltic Power, along with Official Summit Partners Ignitis Renewables, OW Ocean Wind, the Royal Danish Embassy, Rumia Invest Park, and the Danish Energy Agency.

The next Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Summit 2025 will be held in Brussels in October, with a return to Gdansk scheduled for March 2026.