As of: December 2010

Professional qualification in the renewable energies sector

A booming sector such as renewable energies needs a continuous influx of qualified staff – both from a skilled labour background as well as an engineering or otherwise academic background. Unless this influx is secured the often quoted lack of skilled labour will slow down the positive development in the sector, which would be bad news for both the labour market and the climate.

Vocational training

The status report 2007, which was drafted by the Wissenschaftsladen Bonn and supported with funds from the Federal Environment Ministry, is a first detailed survey of the sector's training and skills situation. The renewable energies sector plays an important role in the training initiative "The environment sector – prospects for your professional future". The initiative made clear that there was a need and a readiness to take action.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research offers a brochure (PDF document, 1.2 MByte, in German) and a DVD free of charge which outlines the dual vocational training opportunities in this field.

The Federal Environment Ministry has organised a series of theme-related conferences, starting in 2006, to discuss the most urgent issues of vocational and on-the-job training in the renewable energies sector. Do we need an independent vocational training programme in the renewable energies field? What subjects should young people have to learn who want to want to take up an "apprenticeship in renewables"? How will these subjects be incorporated into the training regulations and - more importantly - how will those who have to teach these new teaching contents be made aware of them?

The renewable energies industries represent a booming labour market. In 2010, this sector employed around 367,000 people. The "Training and Advanced Training for Renewable Energies" brochure (in German) which can be ordered / downloaded here indicates what opportunities exist in this promising market, where more information can be obtained about "renewable energies" and who the right contacts are.

University education

In June 2010 approximately 40 experts met at a higher education conference on "Renewable Energies" to discuss the higher education requirements for professions in the renewable energies sector. They all agreed that the teaching contents of all study courses in this field had to be more transparent.

Three students from Munich took action and launched an information portal "Study programmes in the renewable energies sector" which makes it possible to browse for study courses, universities where they are taught and degrees that can obtained.