£18 million for Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund

Extra support for North Sea workers.

Thousands more North Sea workers will be able to access tailored support to help them transition into jobs in the sustainable energy sector – thanks to an £18 million boost in funding.

The Scottish Government will invest a total of £9 million over the next three years to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, matched by £9 million from the UK Government, to help oil and gas workers access careers advice and funding for training to enable them to move into roles in sustainable energy industries.

Launched as a pilot programme in June, in response to demand from oil and gas workers, the scheme has received a total of £1.39 million funding to date, with at least 300 workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire set to be supported in this financial year.

The additional government funding will allow thousands of additional workers to be supported by 2029. Both Governments will now work with trade unions and industry to develop and promote the scheme and explore opportunities for additional private investment.

Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet – but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.  

This continued and expanded funding to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.

We will continue to explore how best to support Scotland’s energy skills transition, working closely with the UK Government on options like guaranteed interview schemes, redeployment pools and skills passporting.

– ENERGY SECRETARY GILLIAN MARTIN

More than £120 million has already been invested by the Scottish Government in the North East through the Just Transition Fund and the Energy Transition Fund to support the region’s transition to net zero. This funding has helped create green jobs, support innovation, and secured the highly skilled workforce of the future.

Communities across Scotland have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen and places Scotland at the very heart of the clean energy revolution this government is delivering. 

Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in Scotland can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders. 

This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union, agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.

– UK GOVERNMENT ENERGY SECRETAR ED MILIBAND

All future Scottish Government funding remains dependent on the upcoming 2026/27 Scottish Budget, Scottish Spending Review and future annual Scottish Budgets.

Background

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund is aimed at individuals who are currently working (or have worked in the last two years) in the oil and gas industry. Further information regarding the pilot can be found here: Home

Pilot to support oil and gas workers in the North East – gov.scot

Support for oil and gas workers – gov.scot