SSE has launched a new pilot programme to recruit people in the energy industry in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and help plug the skills gap.

The energy supplier has teamed up with STEM Returners for the 12-week programme to support people who have taken a career break or are looking to return to the sector.

SSE estimates the wider energy industry will need to recruit around 200,000 people in the next decade to plug the skills gap and accelerate the race towards the 2050 net zero goal.

It has already announced more than 1,000 new jobs since June as part of its £7.5 billion investment programme over the next five years to spur a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Stewart, Director of HR at SSE said: “The energy industry was facing a skills gap before the coronavirus took hold and now with real momentum to build a cleaner, more resilient recovery from the economic impact of coronavirus and reach net zero, the industry will need to recruit thousands more green jobs for the future.

“These are skilled, sustainable roles which will benefit the UK regions; we’ll be building the world’s biggest offshore wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm off the coast of Angus and two huge projects on Shetland, not to mention the raft of opportunities that exist across many other areas of our business.

“This scheme will help us support people already skilled in STEM industries, back into work where they are very much needed. In a difficult jobs market, the energy sector is providing some much-needed good news for long term career prospects in all areas across the UK and Ireland.”