Preparing for the workforce challenge

The event, co-organized by YABIMO, AGH University of Krakow and Norwegian Offshore Wind focused on a pressing challenge in the horizon of offshore wind industry: ensuring the availability of a skilled workforce for the sector’s (hopefully) rapid expansion.

Both Norway and Poland are entering a decisive phase in offshore wind development. While Poland’s projects are largely focused on bottom-fixed installations in the Baltic Sea, Norway is positioning itself as a pioneer in floating wind technology. Despite these differences, speakers emphasized the significant potential for cross-border collaboration.

Tens of thousands

Business Development Manager Gyrid Espeland presented a study commissioned by Norwegian Offshore Wind and Tekna, saying Norway faces a growing competence gap, with the sector projected to need tens of thousands of new workers by 2035 — from engineers and planners to specialized technicians. The domestic education system alone cannot meet this demand.

In a panel discussion, Gyrid Espeland (Norwegian Offshore Wind) joined Torbjørn Brosvik (Managing Director, Stord Næringsråd), Janusz Kahl (Honorary Consul of Denmark, Finland, and Iceland), and Arkadiusz Siechowicz for an open conversation on attracting and retaining talent.

Every country in Europe is fighting for the same skilled people, Kahl remarked. It’s not enough only to attract them. You need to make them stay.

Complementary strengths

Participants highlighted complementary strengths between the two countries:

Norway brings deep expertise in maritime and subsea industries, supported by a collaborative “Norwegian model” that fosters joint problem-solving.

Poland contributes industrial scale, steel production capacity, and competitive manufacturing capabilities.

However, competition for qualified workers remains intense. While Norway offers some of the highest salaries for engineers in Europe, high living costs and taxation reduce the overall advantage. As Kahl pointed out, quality of life — including healthcare, community, and family opportunities — increasingly determines where talent chooses to stay.

Quality in training

On the training front, the discussion turned to innovation in workforce development. Siechowicz and Anna Gravdal from Aker Solutions Stord demonstrated how gamified learning and microlearning can modernize employee training, making it more engaging and adaptable to a rapidly changing industry.

As the day concluded — fittingly — with a magician’s performance, the audience was reminded that building the offshore wind workforce of the future will require not magic, but awareness and keeping a close eye on the development.