Upskilling needs for the Energy System to support the Energy Transition in Europe with a focus on digital skills ETIP SNET WG4 – Digitalisation of the Electricity

REPowerEU frameworks requires not only cutting-edge technologies but also a workforce fluent in advanced digital, managerial and cross-disciplinary skills. Building on and inspired by the foundational upskilling analysis of the EDDIE project, this paper presents an industrydriven study that refines prior findings on emerging skill shortages across the energy value chain and produces recommendations. The work was carried out by ETIP SNET WG4,

Digitalization of the Electricity System. Through a combination of structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with system operators, generation companies, technology vendors, research bodies and education providers, the analysis uncovers critical gaps in digital and information and communication technology (ICT) domains—ranging from big-data analytics and AI-based predictive modelling to cybersecurity and interoperable Internet of

Things (IoT) platforms—as well as in advanced technologies such as quantum-ready cryptography, large-language-model applications, virtual product testing and systemintegration architectures essential for sector-coupled infrastructures . Alongside these, there is a clear need to bolster green and systems-thinking capabilities, including life-cycle assessment and circular-economy principles, as well as management and soft skills like digital leadership, stakeholder engagement and agile team collaboration, to ensure that new digital tools are effectively adopted and scaled.

While senior professionals often demonstrate strong foundational engineering expertise, they face significant challenges in keeping pace with rapid digitalisation and the growing complexity of cyber-secure networked systems. Conversely, younger professionals exhibit high aptitude for novel digital tools but require deeper grounding in sector-specific operational contexts and regulatory frameworks to translate technical prowess into operational impact. Recognising these complementary strengths and weaknesses, our analysis proposes an integrated upskilling strategy that blends modular, flexible learning pathways (including MOOCs, micro-credentials and just-in-time digital modules) with intensive, practice-oriented experiences such as handson bootcamps, remote and virtual labs, living-lab pilots and “digital twin” simulations that accurately replicate real-world smart-grid environments.

To further accelerate the digital transition and adaptation, the strategy proposes advanced digital tutoring—leveraging interactive coding notebooks, generative-AI assistants and adaptive assessments to personalise learning experiences and provide real-time feedback. Underpinning these interventions is a robust framework for co-created competency definitions and accreditation schemes, developed collaboratively by industry consortia, academia, Digital

Innovation Hubs and policymakers within the EU Pact for Skills. Embedded evaluation metrics, such as certification completion rates, on-the-job performance improvements, innovation outcome indicators and regional skills-gap analyses, ensure continuous refinement of training offerings. By addressing both technical and transversal competencies within a collaborative, multi-stakeholder ecosystem, this follow-up analysis delivers concrete, scalable recommendations roadmap to close skill-mismatch gaps, bolster Europe’s energy digitalisation and secure a resilient, net-zero workforce capable of steering the clean-energy transition.