Co-funded by the
European Union
3 ways in which Europe’s green recovery will create opportunities for young engineers
With the progress of the European Union’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy, it’s time to look forward to beginning a new version of our former social/work lives – and to a widespread economic recovery. Europe is once again at the forefront of the energy transition with plans already underway that will create significant opportunities in the sustainable energy sector. The following pieces are falling into place, highlighting the pivotal role of sustainable energy (and the need for well-trained energy engineers) during the post-pandemic recovery and beyond:
The European Green Deal
Yes, images showed blue skies across Europe as lockdowns came into force; however, climate experts warn against confusing air quality with climate change. When we return to “business as usual”, we must ensure that the economic recovery doesn’t undo all the previous hard work put towards climate goals.
The European Parliament wants Europe’s future to be green and sustainable, so members have resolved to use the European Green Deal as the cornerstone of the EU’s recovery. They want to kickstart the economy sustainably and create jobs to protect key industrial sectors while pursuing an ecological transition. Thus, sustainable energy will play an integral part in this green recovery.
The energy storage industry alone will take centre stage. The continent expects to increase its production capability 20-fold in the next seven years. This could result in 100,000 new jobs every year. This growth will be delivered by a new wave of experts that need to be trained in the skills of tomorrow. This is where EIT InnoEnergy’s role in training top talent for the energy transition comes in. Having already introduced a Master’s in Energy Storage, EIT InnoEnergy launched in 2020 its plan to build a Battery Academy to train and upskill 16,000 European workers in this value chain by 2025.
