U of A aims to address shortage of professionals in renewables

A renewable energy training program the University of Alberta aims to fill the skill shortage of engineers and technicians Alberta needs for the growing green sector.

Cameron Jones, an energy professional specializing in renewables who has worked for the U.K. Energy Research Centre and for the Alberta government, is one of two instructors leading a new program in Renewable Energy Technologies launching Nov. 1 at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Extension.

“There is no shortage of intellectual capital. Alberta has a lot of very trained professionals in every industry that taps into the energy market,” said Jones in an interview.

Oil and gas workers, especially in natural gas or coal combustion, often have an overlap in skills, but a focused technical program can help transitioning to renewables in a matter of months, said Jones.

The program, accessible to learners working full-time jobs, will cover technical and engineering know-how, business management, and government policy and regulatory issues. It aims to build up individuals' resumés, confidence and marketability in this emergent job market.

“If they are able to speak to it, they understand it, that sets them apart and gives them that advantage,” said Jones.

An analysis by the Pembina Institute estimates that 67,200 jobs can be created over the next decade in Alberta's renewable sector, representing 67 per cent of the total workforce of the mining and oil and gas extraction industry in 2019.

“We're trying to create transformative industries and I'm excited to work with anyone that is trying to position themselves for an industry of tomorrow,” said Jones.

According to Clean Energy Canada, the sector counted 11 million workers worldwide in 2018, and employs 300,000 in Canada — almost 27,000 in Alberta.

Trained oil and gas workers are valuable assets in Alberta, said Jones, who added renewables are attracting the best and the brightest.

Society and technology are constantly developing, and it's a balancing act to take advantage of what Jones calls the “explosive growth” in the renewable energy market in Alberta.

“That's the pivot that I want to be a part of.”