The Energy Workforce & Technology Council (EWTC) has just released its 2024 Workforce Report, created in collaboration with Accenture. This report offers an in-depth look at the current employment landscape within the energy services sector, focusing on job growth, workforce demographics, and diversity metrics.
Covering data from roughly 346,598 employees worldwide, with nearly 189,000 in the United States, the 2024 report builds on the findings from previous editions in 2018 and 2021. It digs deep into employment trends over the period from 2001 to 2023, giving a clear picture of how the workforce has evolved.
One of the key takeaways is that the U.S. energy services sector has seen a slow but steady recovery in its workforce, with consistent job growth early in 2023, followed by a period of stabilization. The report also highlights that the top six energy-producing states—led by Texas—account for 76% of the sector’s jobs. Texas alone boasts 317,199 positions, followed by Louisiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and California.
Despite some positive trends, the report sheds light on the ongoing gender imbalance in the sector. Although women’s participation has slightly increased since 2021, they still only make up 21% of the workforce. On the other hand, ethnic diversity is improving, with minorities now representing 38% of the workforce, a rise mainly driven by Hispanic employees.
Molly Determan, President of EWTC, emphasized the importance of the report’s findings. “The 2024 Workforce Report provides essential insights into the changing energy workforce. While we are seeing encouraging signs of job growth, there’s still much to be done in terms of diversity. Our goal is to help the industry build a resilient, adaptable workforce that can tackle the challenges of tomorrow’s global energy needs.”
Accenture’s managing director, Keri Macaluso, who led the report’s development, added, “Attracting and retaining a diverse talent pool is crucial for the U.S. energy services sector to continue providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy. The future of the industry will rely heavily on innovations driven by data, analytics, and AI. Diversity of thought, which stems from a variety of lived experiences, will be vital to making this progress possible.”
The report highlights the need for industry-driven initiatives to promote workforce diversity and growth. It stresses that merit-based hiring, skill development, leadership training, and flexible working options will be essential strategies to attract and retain top talent moving forward.
