US Gen Z’ers Want Solar Jobs Over Coal Careers

Image: Hangela

Adding to its woes, the coal industry is likely to have recruitment problems in the years ahead as many youngsters aren’t interested in a career in the sector. But when it comes to solar power, it’s a very different story.

Research firm Morning Consult carried out a  poll in late August among 1,000 Gen Z’ers (ages 13-23) to gauge their attitudes and concerns in relation to climate change. It found 26 percent believe climate change can be stopped in its tracks with appropriate human intervention and 49 percent thought the phenomenon can be slowed, but not stopped. 8 percent said it was too late.  Just 2 percent believed climate change is not happening at all.

When asked about in pursuing a career in the energy industry, 50% indicated an interest in the solar energy sector and 34% weren’t interested. The least popular sector was coal; with 15% expressing an interest and 65% not interested.

“This is consistent with the industry’s own polling in 2017, which has prompted concern from energy executives about how to recruit new talent in the coming decades,” commented the firm.

Coal Power Related Jobs In Australia

According to an ABC Fact Check from last year, in the four quarters to February 2019 there was an average of 52,600 people employed in coal mining overall – but this included metallurgical as well as thermal coal mining, and also included activities related to exports.

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, around 75 per cent of the coal dug up here in 2017/18 was exported, up from 55 per cent in 1990/91. Added to whatever the real figure for thermal coal mining for local consumption would be are jobs associated with coal fired electricity generation; for which I couldn’t find any solid figures.

Renewable Energy Jobs In Australia

According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 26,850 full-time equivalent (FTE) employed in the renewables sector in 2018-19, a 27% increase from 2017-18 and a 120% increase over ten years. The vast majority of these jobs would be associated with local energy production.

A report from the Clean Energy Council released in June noted Australia’s renewables sector employed more than 25,000 in 2019, with small scale solar workers accounting for around 9,700 of that total.

An earlier report from the Clean Energy Council stated an economic recovery led by accelerated renewables and energy storage investment could generate more than 50,000 new jobs in construction of projects already in the pipeline, inject over $50 billion worth of investment and lower electricity prices along with emissions.