In May and June 2025, the Energy Industry Chamber of Slovenia (EICS) conducted an in-depth survey among its members on the state, needs, and challenges of human resources in the energy sector. Thirty-six companies participated, 86% of which were medium or large enterprises from various areas within the energy industry, providing valuable insight into the situation in the sector.
Almost three-quarters of the companies (72%) rated the current human resource situation in their companies as good, indicating satisfaction with both the number and qualifications of the employees. In two-thirds (67%) of the surveyed companies, the educational level of personnel has been rising, reflecting an improvement in employee skills and investment in knowledge. Employee turnover in these companies is generally low.
Key human resource challenges
Almost two-thirds of the companies (64%) indicated that the average age of employees had increased, demonstrating that an ageing workforce is one of the most significant HR challenges in the energy sector. One-third of respondents did not observe this trend, which may indicate that, in some environments, younger personnel are being successfully integrated or a stable age structure is being maintained.
More than half (53%) of the companies face difficulties in securing personnel for key positions. There is a shortage of electrical, mechanical, and energy engineers, as well as digital specialists such as developers, analysts, and trading experts. Companies also experience difficulties in recruiting operational personnel for fieldwork (electricians, maintenance workers), while the coal mining sector faces a lack of interest in mining professions.
The main HR problem in energy companies is the lack of qualified candidates on the labour market, as 56% of the companies surveyed identified this as their biggest challenge. Companies struggle to find personnel with the knowledge and skills directly applicable to work in the energy sector, either due to inadequate education or lack of experience. The survey results show that, in addition to this main issue, companies identified several other problems often considered equally important. Besides the aforementioned ageing workforce and generational gap, these include lengthy hiring and onboarding processes for new employees, difficulties in attracting young people or young talent, and less competitive employment conditions (salary, benefits, etc.). Companies believe they are competing for employees with the IT sector and other industries that attract candidates by offering better working conditions.
Almost 64% of the companies receive a sufficient number of suitable applications for advertised job positions only occasionally, while for a fifth of the companies, suitable applications are very rare, resulting in some job vacancies being advertised for over six months.
Outlook on the education system and young professionals
A total of 86% of the companies believe that current education programmes are insufficient or only partially meet the needs of the sector, as some content areas are too slow to keep pace with technological and other changes. In their view, key knowledge for the future will include energy systems, renewable sources, digitalisation, analytics, cyber security, and network management.
Most surveyed companies (83%) already actively collaborate with educational institutions, thereby building a pool of future experts. The most common forms of collaboration are:
- Scholarships for secondary school and university students (most frequently in technical fields).
- Providing student internships (including mentoring).
- Joint projects with faculties (e.g. master’s theses, technical challenges).
- Guest lectures by company experts.
- Development of educational programmes in collaboration with schools.
Less than half of them (47%) specifically encourage young people to choose STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), which means that more than half of the companies (53%) have not (yet) included this area in their HR or promotional strategies. This shows that despite the perceived shortage of technical personnel and engineers, collaboration with young people often remains an untapped potential.
The responses from the surveyed companies indicate that, when choosing an employer in the energy sector, young people are most interested in opportunities for personal and professional development, as well as a clear sense of purpose and value in their work. The need for flexibility, both in terms of location and working methods, is also frequently mentioned. Although companies recognise that salary is important, they emphasise that it is not a decisive factor. Young people increasingly value work culture, company values, and the relationships established in the work environment.
More than 90% of the companies expressed their willingness to participate in an open day and career fair organised by EICS, as they see this as an opportunity to attract young talent to the energy sector.
Diversity, ESG, and inclusion
Nearly half of the companies (47%) systematically incorporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles into their HR policies and business strategies, while over a quarter (28%) do so to some extent, and a quarter (25%) do not at all. ESG measures include mentoring, equal pay, accommodations for people with disabilities, and support for women in leadership positions.
Sector overview and expectations
Most companies (53%) rate the HR situation in the industry as “average”, while over two-fifths (42%) rate it as “good”. Only one company (a micro enterprise) rated it as “poor”, and only one company (medium-sized) as “very poor”. Comparing the responses regarding the rating of one’s own company with that of the industry is rather interesting. Almost all companies (86%) rated the situation in their own company as “good” (72%) or “very good” (14%), while they were much more critical in their assessment of the HR situation in the industry—not a single company rated it as “very good”. Most companies believe their own situation is better than the overall situation in the industry. The biggest problem in the industry, as they see it, is the lack of suitably qualified candidates on the market.
While the companies generally rated employee turnover as “low”, half of them stated, when asked a similar question, that employee turnover was a problem at the industry level. The main issues in this regard are the loss of key knowledge and experience, higher costs of hiring and onboarding, and instability in the work environment and teams.
How can Slovenia ensure a stable and competitive national labour pool in the energy sector in the long term? The respondents’ suggestions include in particular:
- Enhanced promotion of careers in the energy industry (92%).
- Active integration of educational institutions with the economy (89%).
- Scholarship schemes for key professions in the industry (81%).
Companies seek greater cooperation with academia, improved visibility of the energy sector, and strategic support from the state. The responses from the companies also included the expectation that the state would support companies investing in long-term human resources development through financial or organisational measures.
A large majority (75%) of the companies estimate that demand for personnel will remain roughly the same even after the transformation of the energy sector, which includes digitalisation, among other changes. Only a few believe that it will decrease. The most important knowledge and skills in the future energy sector will include technical expertise in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, IT, and digitalisation. Several respondents particularly emphasised the increased need for understanding renewable energy sources, energy storage, and modern systems management. Digital competencies (data literacy, cyber security, IT support), knowledge of energy markets and regulation, and soft skills such as cooperation, communication, adaptability, and interdisciplinary work were also frequently mentioned. Several companies caution that a broader view of the industry’s operations will be crucial—employees will need to understand not only their own area of expertise, but also energy trends, sustainability guidelines, and the systemic functioning of the sector.
Conclusion: The survey results clearly show that the future of energy will require coordinated action by companies, the education system, and the state. It will be crucial to strengthen relations with young people, promote shortage occupations, modernise educational programmes, and present the energy industry as an attractive career path. EICS could play an important role in this by preparing measures and organising events to enable these objectives.
On 26 August 2025, EZS shared the analysis results with three relevant ministries:
- Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy,
- Ministry of Education, and
- Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
The energy transition is also a human resources project: without skilled and motivated people, strategic goals will not be achievable.
