Energy and mining

Energy and mining includes employees who build electricity networks and install electricity, engage in the production, distribution and sale of electricity, heat and gas, and extra...

Energy, construction and installation of electricity networks and mining are characterised by high productivity and rapid technological development. The largest number of employees working in this field is electricians and installers of electrical equipment, electrical and energy engineers, technicians and production operators, miners and operators of mining machinery. The average salary of the energy and mining agencies is significantly higher than the Estonian average.

The number of employees in energy and mining as a whole will decrease slightly in the future due to technological innovation and climate and environmental guidelines, including in oil shale mines and energy. The need for engineers, technicians and operators will increase, the share of skilled and especially simple workers will decrease. For example, there will be fewer mining managers, blasters, miners and operators of mining machines, drivers, mechanics and locksmiths, boiler operators. The need for mining professionals will not disappear as new mineral resources are likely to be introduced in the future.

The number of jobs in renewable energy, the construction and maintenance of smart grids and the electrical installation associated with the construction of energy-efficient buildings will increase. There is a significant need for wind turbine maintenance engineers and technicians, solar systems and (bio) gas specialists. The number of jobs in the maintenance of electricity networks decreases slightly, the number of jobs in the construction of networks and in the installation of electricity remains the same.

There are currently more jobs than vocational and higher education graduates with corresponding professional education, and this problem will be exacerbated in the coming years due to the decrease in the number of graduates. Therefore, the career perspective of graduates in the fields of energy, electricity or mining is good. There is a lack of growth in mining, as the number of students in the field of geotechnology has fallen close to the critical limit. The problem in mining construction mineral resources is the lack of training for blasters.

There are also more jobs than graduates in the field of energy, power grid construction and electrical installation, especially the lack of engineers in thermal energy. There is no vocational training in the field of gas. More training would be needed for specialists in renewable energy equipment and systems, both in higher education and vocational education. In addition, more new employees with an educational background in automation and mechatronics are needed.

Information is based on the OSKA Energy and Mining Survey, which forecast industry employment until 2024.