New York State and National Offshore Wind Workforce Reports
NYSERDA has completed a significant amount of offshore wind research. Please follow the links below for recent, relevant reports.
2023 New York State Offshore Wind Skills Analysis [PDF] - This report is designed to build on past New York State analyses by answering several follow-on questions emerging from industry stakeholders that are foundational to developing a New York State offshore wind workforce. This report helps inform strategic policy, funding, and programmatic decisions being considered by New York State officials. The questions answered are:
- What are the occupational skill needs for New York State’s offshore wind workforce?
- What additional credentials and certifications will be required for future workers to enter this sector? Is New York State ready to meet these needs?
How can the future supply of New York State workers who may want to transition into offshore wind—such as those in traditional fossil fuel occupations, workers in adjacent industries with transferable skills, priority workers from disadvantaged communities, or future workers—be best prepared to pursue these occupations?
2022 New York State Offshore Wind Workforce Gap Analysis [PDF] - In developing a comprehensive workforce development plan and training ecosystem, it is imperative for New York State to first understand the overall supply and demand for offshore wind jobs. This report, by BW Research Partnership on behalf of NYSERDA, identifies occupational supply gaps and presents an overview of key offshore wind energy-specific training programs in the State. The analysis projects employment growth in New York's offshore wind industry, illustrates job types and distribution across the state to strengthen the Offshore Wind Training Institute's (OWTI) understanding of workforce impacts on offshore wind development in New York. These are critical considerations for the State to achieve its ambitious goal of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy. This document is a valuable resource for planners, lawmakers, educational institutions, and other workforce development organizations seeking to increase their understanding of what types of jobs will be required to grow and develop our local offshore wind supply chain.
New York State's Climate Action Council's Scoping Plan which outlines recommended policies and actions to help meet the goals and requirements of the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act).
NYSERDA's New York Clean Energy Industry Report - An in-depth review of important sector-specific job patterns and trends within the State. The 2023 report provides a deep dive into offshore wind, alternative transportation, and workforce development for priority populations — all of which are essential for future job growth and creating a more diverse and equitable workforce.
The Climate Justice Working Group’s 2021 Disadvantaged Communities Barriers and Opportunities Report 
, which analyzes why some communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change and air pollution and have unequal access to clean energy.
The Just Transition Working Group 2021 Jobs Study 
- The Jobs Study and supporting research were done on behalf of the Just Transition Working Group (JTWG) as part of the New York State Climate Action Council. The report was commissioned to estimate the number of jobs created to counter climate change, including but not be limited to the energy sector, building sector, and working lands sector, to examine the projection of the inventory of jobs needed and skills and training required to meet the demand of jobs to counter climate change as well as the workforce disruption due to community transitions from a low carbon economy.
The Workforce Opportunity for Offshore Wind (Master Plan) (NYSERDA) commissioned this 2017 analysis to evaluate new workforce opportunities in New York associated with large-scale development of offshore wind electricity generation. This analysis accounts for offshore wind development scenarios that could be supported by policies in New York, which had, at the time, committed to a goal of installing 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030. The State has since increased its offshore wind goal to 9 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2035.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published a 2022 National Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment that examines the significant job opportunities created by the Biden administration’s goal of 30 GW by 2030.