It’s long been common to see professionals moving from one energy industry to another, with many choosing to move into renewables as the clean energy transition picks up speed. But for those going from oil and gas to renewables, pay and benefits will be a key motivator.
In our latest blog, we take a look at the impact of the move from fossil fuels to renewable energy, what roles you can transition into from oil & gas and what remuneration you can expect.
A growing remit
With governments around the world committing to net zero targets, the demand for renewable energy experts is only going to increase. In fact, research from trade associations, SolarPower Europe and Wind Europe, revealed that the number of people needed to work in wind and solar energy is set to double in the next eight years. For context, that equates to a staggering 650,000 new recruits needed.
In order to meet this demand, renewable energy employers are increasingly tapping into the oil and gas sector to find new recruits. This shift isn’t just being driven by employer demand, though. In fact, our own research shows that oil and gas workers want to make a shift to renewable industries, with 56% of these workers indicating that they’d pursue jobs in green energy.
But what roles can you move into in the renewables field and what’s the pay like?
Engineering experts
Individuals with engineering expertise are in high demand across all elements of the energy sector, with the shortage of available talent driving up the competition for skills.
For engineering professionals, the opportunities are almost limitless. The key responsibilities of a role are relatively similar across oil & gas and renewables. If we take a look at some of the key attributes of an energy engineer position in renewables, there’s a lot that can be transferred:
- Support or manage the development and build of technology
- Managing the overlap between new and existing power systems
- Carry out on site checks pre- and post-installation
- Assist with the transition from traditional sources to clean energy
- Manage supply chains and negotiate new deals
While this is only a brief insight into the requirements of a renewable energy engineer, those working in oil and gas will certainly see the similarities in the role.
When it comes to typical pay, those with prior experience can expect to be in the £35,000 to £60,000 pay bracket. Your level of training and prior work will understandably dictate where on this pay scale you’ll fall, but as an additional indicator, Glassdoor suggests that the average salary for a Renewable Energy Engineer in the UK sits somewhere around the £33,700 mark. It’s important to note, though, that with skills shortages still prevalent, businesses are increasingly bolstering pay and benefits packages, so accessing updated information of salary benchmarks through tools such as our dedicated energy salary checker will be valuable as the economy continues to evolve.
Project Managers
The role of a Project Manager and the skills required are significantly interchangeable. Whether you’re already operating in the oil and gas remit or another energy sector, your abilities are highly transferable. In general, a Renewables Project Manager will be responsible for:
- Managing supply chains
- Controlling the budget and spend
- Developing regular project update reports
- Managing any risks or over-spend
- Outlining and controlling the scope and timeframes of the project
Given the significant similarity of this role across all energy fields, it’s perhaps no surprise that, on average, those in this position can expect a salary in the £40,000 – £50,000 bracket for both the oil & gas and renewables industries.
Finance and Operations
While the energy field is certainly in need of expert engineering skills and Project Managers, there’s also a wealth of back-office roles available, from Finance Managers and Financial Advisors to Operations Managers and Asset Managers.
The benefit for those working in these roles is that your skills and knowledge can be transferred from sector to sector. With the renewables field facing significant growth and gaining a wealth of investment from governments across the globe, there’s a huge opportunity to progress your career and increase your salary by making a move into green energy.
Moving from oil and gas to renewables: check you pay
Perhaps the best way to find out what salary you could earn by making the move to renewables is to benchmark your pay against others in the sector. Try our new salary checker tool!
