A new skills plan for the energy industry is targeting improving gender equality, providing greater numbers of apprenticeships and promoting careers in the sector more effectively to young people.
In recent weeks ScottishPower and SSE have been among the big players warning of a looming skills gap with thousands of workers due to retire by the end of the decade. The oil and gas sector is also expected have capacity for 12,000 new entrants by 2019.
Firms are now being urged to take a long term view when bringing people into the workforce.
Frank Mitchell, chief executive of Scottish Power Energy Networks and chair of the Energy Skills Action Group, said: "There are many uncertainties affecting Scotland's energy sector, but it still faces significant challenges in attracting and recruiting the workforce of the future.
"Reacting to current pressures by retreating from sustainable, long-term workforce planning will leave firms unable to grasp new opportunities when they arise, particularly in the international energy market."
Among the aims are to use the greater focus on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in schools to promote careers in the energy industry, increase the opportunities for work experience and apprenticeships, get more individuals to undertake training while in jobs and help nurture the next generation of business leaders through targeted training programmes.
To encourage more women into the sector the plan recommends targeting them in relation to activity once they complete school, persuading graduates to think about energy careers and offering more flexible working practices.
The action plan is published by Skills Development Scotland and Neville Prentice from the organisation said: "For a long time the sector has had to cope with skills shortages, with companies reporting recruitment difficulties in a number of key disciplines.
"Taking the right action now will put the sector in a good position to face up to future challenges, and to capitalise as fully as possible on future opportunities."
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