ENERGY workers in Scotland hit out today against years of government inaction, which they say has blocked a just transition to new jobs for offshore workers.

A survey of over 300 North Sea offshore staff found 93 per cent were in favour of introducing standardised training for working offshore 

Under the current system workers are spending an average of £1,627 per year on training, with research finding that workers regularly have to repeat training and take courses with no guarantee of a job. 

Campaigners warned Holyrood must intervene to support efforts to remove these hurdles with the introduction of a government-regulated “offshore passport,” as part of a just transition.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Ryan Morrison said: “Promises of green jobs mean little when this training regime holds back the opportunity to move between sectors.”

Trade unions have given their backing to the scheme, claiming it is important to declutter the landscape and offer a skill guarantee for every worker in offshore oil and gas, warning the current situation is unacceptable. 

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The truth is that currently many workers in offshore oil and gas see no future for themselves in renewables, either because we are not delivering enough renewable supply chain jobs in Scotland, or because there are too many barriers to jobs transition.”

Unite’s John Boland said members have made it clear that training costs are an issue, saying that they have been raising similar issues for several years.

Scotland’s Just Transition Minister Richard Lochhead said retraining of workers would be key to ensuring a just transition over the next decade.

“We are working collaboratively with the industry, trade bodies and unions to ensure the right skills and training are in place to protect and create jobs as we become a net-zero economy,” he said.

Criticism has risen recently over reports that the British government will approve the development of a new oil and gas extraction project in the North Sea.

Reports suggest a new oil field off the Shetland Islands could be given the green light to extract 150 million barrels of oil and run until 2050, but the government said it was backing the decarbonisation of the oil and gas sector to support high-value jobs. 

Greenpeace hit out at the suggestion, with political campaigner Sam Chetan-Welsh claiming jobs need to urgently be shifted into renewables, warning going ahead with the plan could make Britain a “laughing stock.”