
Building skills for the energy transition
Shell UK is investing in people and communities to help build the workforce the UK will need on its journey towards net zero.
In 2024, 78.2% of Shell’s global investments included oil & gas, 11.37% included low-carbon energy solutions and 10.43% non-energy products. Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions (NZE) energy business by 2050. Disclaimers, including NZE target: shell.com/disclaimer
In the UK, as the country moves towards its target of net-zero emissions by 2050, Shell UK aims to play a leading role in securing vital energy for today, while investing in, and helping to build, the energy system of the future.
Meet Jenny from Shell UK. We’re aiming to help 15,000 people into jobs, with a focus on the energy transition by 2035.
Read the Transcript
Read the Transcript
Title: Helping power the UK now, and into the future
Duration: 01:09 seconds
Description:
Meet Jenny, part of the Shell UK team. We aim to help 15,000 people into jobs with a focus on the energy transition by 2035.
Helping power the UK now, and into the future
[Text displays]
In 2024, 78.2% of Shell’s global investments included oil & gas, 11.37% included low-carbon energy solutions and 10.43% non-energy products. Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions (NZE) energy business by 2050. Disclaimers, including NZE target: shell.com/disclaimer
[Music]
An upbeat orchestral pop song with strings being the lead instruments, part of the familiar Sound of Shell library of music
[Visuals]
An aerial shot of modern looking college, the camera then transitions to ground level and follows a female in a red jacket and black trousers who is walking towards the entrance. A sign on the wall says it’s the North East Scotland College, Aberdeen Altens Campus and the female is walking towards reception.
[Animated sequence]
Jenny MacDonald, Shell Social Investment Advisor
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
I’m Jenny and I help unleash the talent that’s all around us.
[Visuals]
The footage changes to three young female students, sat on big purple chairs at a small circular table. The female in the middle is pointing to the screen
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
In fact we aim to help 15,000 people into jobs with a focus in the energy transition by 2035.
[Visuals]
The footage cuts to inside the college, a group of young students all dressed in blue overalls are listening to their trainer, whilst stood next to a small wind turbine head, with the propellers removed. The camera moves to showing more students in blue overalls, studying a solar panel, as well as close ups of other students going about their work, including securing bolts and filing
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
My job is about ways to upskill people, reskill people and empower people to be the new generation of energy professionals.
[Visuals]
The footage the cuts to a close up of a pair screwing conduit to a wall, and connecting electrical wires in a fuse box
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
For example, we’re developing a series of specialised teaching facilities in the UK, kicking off here, in my hometown, Aberdeen.
[Visuals]
The camera then moves outside, to an old, empty factory building. It is surrounded by a security fence, on the background on the right, two people in hi vis vests and hard hats are pointing at something, and on the left, Jenny and two others are walking and talking, all dressed in hi vis and hard hats.
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
We’re working with our partners to build energy transition skills hubs,
[Visuals]
The footage cuts to a close up of Jenny and the two others discussing the empty building, before the camera cuts to Jenny, who is walking and talking towards the camera.
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
so students can learn and refine critical energy industry skills.
[Visuals]
The footage moves inside the empty building and we see Jenny walk through an open door, and greeting a male in a hi vis coat and hard hat, who has a tablet computer in his hand. The two of them look at the display of the tablet which has the building plans for the empty facility, and point at where things are going to be.
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
With time we’ll breathe new life into this old industry site, to make it a dynamic teaching space where students can hone essential skills
[Visuals]
The footage moves back outside to two people in hi vis and hard hats looking at a computer screen and a wind turbine, before quickly cutting to a male in hi vis and a hard hat using a drill to secure a solar panel to its frame
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
and access the latest energy technologies, as well as attending welding and fabrications workshops.
[Visuals]
onto another location, inside a class room back at the college, where a student puts on a welding mask to practice virtual welding, the camera moves in closer to show a strange looking object with QR code markings on it, in the background we see on a large display what the student is seeing via the virtual mask – he’s welding two sections together.
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
We want as many people as possible to benefit from the energy system of the future
[Visuals]
The footage cuts back to Jenny, who is walking towards the camera.
[Text displays and Jenny narrates]
so that the energy transition is an opportunity for everyone to help power the UK now and into the future.
[Visuals]
The footage cuts a white screen, Shell shaped ripples spread out from the centre of the screen, and the familiar red and yellow Pecten logo appears in the centre, with the words Powering Progress appearing underneath. In the top right of the screen, the familiar dancing black horse in a yellow shield logo of Scuderia Ferrari HP and Ferrari Innovation Partner.
[Sound]
The familiar five note Shell mnemonic plays brightly on a piano
Powering Progress.
© 2025 Shell International Ltd
What jobs and skills will be needed for the energy transition?
It is estimated that by 2050, there could be 1.18 million net zero jobs available in England alone, but not enough people with the skills to fill them.1 That estimate suggests that the UK needs to grow its workforce and develop the skills required to make net zero a reality. The skills required will include:
Electric vehicle charging installation engineers
Skilled electricians to install and maintain electric vehicle (EV) chargers up and down the country.
Welders
Welders to build and maintain onshore and offshore wind turbines, as well as other technology.
Virtual control systems operators
Virtual control systems operators to work in control rooms across a variety of energy sectors including hydrogen plants and offshore wind.
Electrical and data engineers
Electrical and data engineers to work in grid design and management, as well as installation and maintenance of the systems.
1 Local Green Jobs Report for Local Government Association (LGA), September 2021
The Shell UK SkillsTransition Programme: investing in jobs and skills
To help close the net zero skills gap, Shell UK has developed the SkillsTransition programme. Through targeted investment, this programme aims to help 15,000 people into jobs, with a focus on the energy transition by 2035.
The programme will invest in skills development initiatives across the UK’s skills eco-system: led by Further Education Colleges, charities, community groups and skills bodies. The programme aims to help UK workers at all levels and ages take up opportunities presented by the energy transition. Shell UK wants as many people as possible to benefit from the energy system of the future, so that the transition can be an opportunity for everyone.
Energy Transition Skills Hubs
Work has started on three energy transition skills hubs, supported by Shell UK, at North East Scotland College and Fife College in Scotland, and Pembrokeshire College in Wales.
The Pembrokeshire and Fife energy transition skills hubs are open to students, while the Aberdeen Energy Transition Skills Hub will open in 2025.
Helping people into jobs
Over 4,000 people across the UK have already been supported with energy transition skills, through partnerships with specialist employability charities like Catch 22, Breaking Barriers, Shaw Trust, UpReach and Good People. The Shell UK SkillsTransition programme aims to reach people from a range of backgrounds, education levels and income disparities, with a lens on disadvantaged communities. For example, Shell UK SkillsTransition funding has enabled Catch22 to support hundreds of unemployed people from disadvantaged communities across England into meaningful jobs.
Installing electric vehicle chargers
Shell UK is offering drivers more reliable access to EV charging near-home, at work and on the go.
Helping power the UK now, and into the future
From providing access to electric vehicle (EV) chargers, to helping supply UK gas, to building skills for the energy transition. Learn how Shell UK is helping power the UK now, and into the future.
Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.
Shell’s climate target
Tackling climate change is an urgent challenge. That’s why Shell’s target is to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. This means net-zero carbon emissions from our operations. It also means net-zero carbon emissions from the energy products we sell, including those produced by others, which currently account for over 90% of the total emissions we report.
Shell are investing $10-15 billion on low-carbon energy solutions between 2023 and the end of 2025. Shell are also investing in oil and gas production with lower emissions as we provide energy today while helping to build the low-carbon energy system of the future.
Frequently asked questions
Who will benefit from Shell UK’s Skills Transition programme?
Who will benefit from Shell UK’s Skills Transition programme?
Shell UK is investing in, and championing, skills development to equip UK workers at all levels and ages with the skills relevant to taking up the opportunities that are being presented by the energy transition and with a lens on disadvantaged communities. We’re actively engaging local communities, government bodies and other employers to join us. Find out more
When do the energy transition skills hubs open to students?
When do the energy transition skills hubs open to students?
The Pembrokeshire and Fife energy transition skills hubs are open to students, while the Aberdeen Energy Transition Skills Hub will open in 2025.
How else are Shell UK investing in people and communities through the SkillsTransition programme?
How else are Shell UK investing in people and communities through the SkillsTransition programme?
Shell UK’s SkillsTransition programme aims to invest in initiatives led by Further Education Colleges, charities, community groups and skills bodies to help people into employment, develop relevant skills, as well as support for entrepreneurs and energy startups. For example, Shell UK supports Catch22, a charity and social business to provide employability skills for people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Find out more
Why has Shell UK chosen to invest in Further Education Colleges?
Why has Shell UK chosen to invest in Further Education Colleges?
According to the 2023 expert advisory group report from the Climate Change Committee: “the importance of Further Education colleges is difficult to overstate. They are at the heart of UK skills provision for the transition to Net Zero at local and regional levels, as well as underpinning the skills and workforce needs of key economic sectors such as construction, energy and transport”.
Shell UK aims to invest in more Further Education energy transition skills hubs across Great Britain to help skill and train the workforce of the future and help deliver a just transition.
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