The energy transition in Poland is gaining momentum, but one question still remains unanswered: who will turn ambitious plans into real infrastructure? Staffing shortages and an ill-adapted education system are becoming increasingly serious challenges. The time needed to prepare people to work in the energy sector is working against progress, and without qualified professionals, even the best-designed project can stall at the planning stage. What’s the way out of this situation? According to experts from Smart Solutions HR, the answer lies in tailored educational programs, competency transformation, and supportive migration policies.
Poland, backed by EU funds, the National Recovery Plan, and private investors, is developing two pillars of its energy transformation in parallel: renewable energy sources and nuclear power. Although the country’s first nuclear power plant is still in the design phase—with its launch currently projected for 2036—the scale of planned investments in the energy sector already appears impressive. Data from the Ministry of Climate shows that the installed capacity of renewable energy sources in Poland currently exceeds 30 GW. According to the report “Polish Power Grids 2040,” prepared by the Forum Energii, this capacity is expected to grow to 90 GW by 2040. On one hand, this represents a huge opportunity to modernize the economy; on the other, it poses a challenge that could be hindered by labor market realities. One of the main obstacles to the development of the energy sector in Poland is the lack of a specialized workforce.
Lack of Specialists as a Brake on Development
According to the report “Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Report 2024” by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Poland currently employs over 212,000 people in the renewable energy sector, and by 2050, the number of jobs could quadruple. However, the sector’s development and the growing number of jobs are not matched by a sufficient supply of qualified specialists. There is already a shortage of installers, designers, technicians, as well as energy management and systems integration experts.
In the nuclear energy sector, the situation is even more challenging—Poland is building the sector practically from scratch. The construction of nuclear power plants alone will require training a new generation of specialists. Between 2030 and 2040, employment in Poland’s nuclear sector could increase from several hundred to tens of thousands of workers. Engineers with highly diverse competencies will be in demand—from nuclear physics graduates to hands-on professionals from various technical fields.
“The dynamic growth of the energy sector requires a properly skilled workforce. Both the renewables sector and the nuclear industry, which is being built from the ground up, are already experiencing increasing demand for workers. Future-proof professions aren’t limited to AI—many roles currently considered niche will be in high demand. In the renewables sector, these will include photovoltaic technicians, smart grid engineers, wind turbine assemblers, biogas experts, energy storage specialists, and investment planners. In the nuclear field, reactor operators, neutronics and thermal-hydraulics engineers, nuclear safety specialists—as well as fitters, nuclear-certified welders, and surveyors—will be needed. Some of these professions don’t even exist in Poland yet,” says Włodzimierz Kucharczuk, Project Manager at Smart Solutions HR.
Education Is the Key
The renewable energy and nuclear sectors present a tremendous opportunity for Poland’s economy and labor market. However, to seize this opportunity, specific actions must be taken well in advance—according to experts from Smart Solutions HR.
“To meet the demands of the nuclear and renewable energy markets, greater investment in technical education, vocational training, and stronger collaboration with universities will be essential,” says Kucharczuk. “This development requires not only educating entirely new specialists but also reskilling the current workforce. Traditional energy-related professions, such as electricians and mechanics, are evolving with new specializations tied to green technologies and nuclear power. Entirely new professions are also emerging. It’s likely we’ll see a workforce shift from declining sectors like coal mining into new industries. Implementing such changes will require significant financial and organizational investment,” he adds.
Although Poland stands out in Europe for the rapid growth of green energy jobs, there is still no cohesive strategy for training new professionals. Introducing relevant programs into secondary schools, supporting vocational education, dynamically creating new fields of study at technical universities, and launching reskilling programs are the fundamental steps that must be taken as soon as possible.
Additional Solutions
The expert points out that a crucial complement to such a comprehensive strategy is opening up to foreign talent and streamlining migration procedures.
“Even now, the renewable energy and construction sectors in Poland partially rely on workers from the Philippines and Colombia. According to ZUS (the Polish Social Insurance Institution), more than 30,000 of them are currently employed in Poland. Some are already working on offshore wind turbines, PV farm assembly, and grid infrastructure projects. The involvement of foreign workers in energy investments will undoubtedly grow, especially in light of labor shortages. In this context, Poland must ensure decent working conditions, support the integration of foreign employees, and recognize qualifications to retain the most valuable specialists,” says Kucharczuk.
The current state of Poland’s labor market in relation to renewable and nuclear energy may not inspire optimism. However, a long-term strategy that aligns energy policy with education and labor market policy holds the potential to transform the future of the Polish economy.
“Over the next several years, Poland must make a tremendous effort to develop its workforce. Both renewable and nuclear energy offer the prospect of stable employment in well-paid professions, which presents a major opportunity for current and future workers. However, success depends on adapting the education and vocational training systems, fostering active collaboration between industry and universities, and properly managing labor migration—both attracting the missing specialists from abroad and retaining domestic talent. Poland already stands out among EU countries for its rapid growth in green jobs. The planned projects could make it one of the largest energy job markets in Europe, but this potential must be nurtured,” Kucharczuk concludes.
Sources: Ministry of Climate, Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Report 2024 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Polish Power Grids 2040 report by Forum Energii, data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).
