Re-Energise 26 warns workforce shortages could hold back New Zealand’s energy future

New modelling released today in Re-Energise 26 shows New Zealand must grow its energy workforce, and grow it quickly, to deliver electrification, cut emissions and build a resilient energy system.

Produced jointly by Energy Resources Aotearoa and the Electricity Engineers’ Association (EEA), Re-Energise 26 is the first report to map workforce needs across the full energy sector – with inputs from government data, over 13,800 full-time equivalent energy sector employees and more than 4,000 contractors and consultants.

The modelling identifies pressure points in critical roles, with major bottlenecks in supervision, mentoring and assessment. It shows that without more skilled people, New Zealand will struggle to electrify, cut emissions and maintain a secure, resilient energy system.

It calls for coordinated action across the sector to lift career visibility, strengthen training pathways and build a more diverse and highly skilled workforce.

Technology alone will not deliver New Zealand’s energy future,” says Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie.

“It will take skilled people with the capacity to design, run and improve the system. If we want a more secure, lower-emissions energy future, our country needs to invest in the workforce that will make it happen.”

EEA Chief Executive Nicki Sutherland says energy security and reliability depend on experienced people and a strong pipeline of new talent.

“We need to think about investment in people as seriously as we do infrastructure to create the depth needed on our bench to achieve New Zealand’s secure energy future. And we need to be equipping our workforce with the right skills for a world that will be fundamentally different.”

Re-Energise 26 responds sets out an Industry Skills Action Plan built around four priorities: Attract, Develop, Collaborate and Retain.

To drive delivery, Energy Resources Aotearoa and EEA will convene an implementation-focused Workforce Capability Forum in May 2026, bringing energy sector organisations together to set priorities and assign delivery leads.

The report is available for download from: www.reenergise.nz