Building the workforce for energy resilience

01

<p>As electrification accelerates globally, the availability of skilled workers is key to the deployment and strengthening of energy systems.¹</p>

02

<p>About 63 percent of employers recognize that developing skilled workforces is central to accelerating the energy transition.²</p>

03

<p>ABB contributes through training opportunities and partnerships.</p>

BUILDING AND TRAINING THE WORKFORCE FOR TOMORROW’S ENERGY SYSTEMS

Building energy resilience - the ability of energy systems to withstand disruption, adapt to change, and deliver reliable power - depends on a skilled and diverse workforce. As energy systems become increasingly electrified, digitalized and interconnected, more skilled professionals with the right expertise in deploying electrification and automation technologies become essential.

By 2030, up to 1.5 million more power engineers could be needed globally, and in regions where electricity access is still limited, energy expansion and electrification are projected to drive 20 percent employment growth in the energy sector.³ While demand for energy professionals continues to rise,⁴ ensuring that skilled workers are available requires collaboration and strategic investments from industry, governments, and educational institutions.

HOW DOES ABB CONTRIBUTE TO UPSKILLING TEAMS?

Our approach focuses on three areas: developing our people, building future talent pipelines and partnering with institutions to expand workforce capacity.

Upskilling ABB's own workforce

ABB's commitment starts at home. Our Learn, Connect, Grow framework has guided continuous learning across a global organization of 110,000 employees in more than 100 countries, and the number of learning hours per employee has doubled in recent years.⁵

Academies across our businesses provide a wide variety of programs to cover the needs of ABB’s technical population, including engineers, programmers and other personnel across our electrification, automation and motion businesses. The same approach then extends outward, shaping how ABB engages the wider talent pipeline - from early engagement with students to public-private partnerships.

EARLY ENGAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION

Creating opportunities where they are limited, sparking interest in technology, and attracting talent at an early stage may look different from region to region, but they all share one goal: making energy-related career opportunities visible to the next generation. Many of these initiatives focus on developing future capabilities in areas critical to the energy transition, including electrification, automation, digital technologies and engineering.

ABB's Early Talent Program recruits 2,000+ interns and 115 Discovery Program participants annually, many of whom pursue lasting careers with the company. The Discovery Program helps early-career professionals explore career paths, building a pipeline of future leaders.

In China, the ABB-New Great Wall Fund has supported over 6,000 students since 2005, focusing on electrification and automation. In India, partnerships with the Lila Poonawalla Foundation fund scholarships for hundreds of girls pursuing STEM careers, broadening the talent pool and addressing the significant under-representation of women in skilled technical trades.

UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS AND ACADEMIC INTEGRATION

In Europe, ABB's partnership with Aalto University in Finland includes a €1.5 million donation to establish the House of Energy Transition competence center and a dedicated power electronics professorship, directly linking academic research to workforce needs.

At Vilnius Technical University in Lithuania, ABB's laboratory offers training to approximately 100 students each semester in hands-on power systems work. These partnerships ensure students graduate with skills aligned to current industry demands.

The Ashesi-ETH Master's Program in Mechatronics Engineering, developed in partnership with ETH Zurich and Ashesi University in Ghana, is designed for talented engineers from sub-Saharan Africa. The program combines world-class academic training with industrial mentorship and internships in students' home countries.

In Chile, ABB collaborates with Junior Achievement to bring students into ABB University training facilities to experience firsthand what careers in engineering and technology may look like. These early exposures can inspire decades of engagement with the sector.

These initiatives help build a more diverse, future‑ready talent pipeline and signal to young people that energy careers offer purpose, stability and growth.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

<p>ABB collaborates with industry bodies and local communities to build capacity where it matters most. These partnerships complement our internal learning and development efforts by helping expand future talent pipelines and strengthen workforce capabilities beyond our own organization.</p>

Careers Electric™ Coalition

<p>ABB is a Co-Chair of the <a href="https://new.abb.com/news/detail/136486/careers-electric-launches-national-coalition-to-expand-workforce-training-for-the-electrical-careers-of-today-and-tomorrow">Careers Electric™ Coalition</a> alongside the Siemens Foundation, helping address growing demand for electricians and other critical roles needed to support electrification across North America.</p>

ABB training facility in the United Arab Emirates

<p>A new ABB training facility in the United Arab Emirates supports the continuous professional development for approximately 2,000 engineers and technicians annually across the Middle East, focusing on emerging skills in digitalization, AI integration, and energy efficiency.</p>

ABB Training Center in Germany

<p>In Heidelberg, Germany, the <a href="https://careers.abb/dach/de/ausbildung-heidelberg">ABB Training Center</a> offers a dual vocational training or a dual study program for students and apprentices to build skills in business, engineering and IT. As a nonprofit limited liability company, we reinvest all proceeds back into our training facilities to ensure that our equipment and programs consistently maintain a high standard of quality.</p>

RES4Africa

<p>ABB is also board member of RES4Africa Foundation, aiming to contribute to the development of the capabilities, knowledge, and collaborative mindset required for sustainable electrification across Africa. </p>

PEOPLE POWER PROGRESS IN ENERGY RESILIENCE

Behind every energy project, grid expansion and modernization initiative, digital platform and automation systems are skilled people making those possible. Building the necessary workforce for energy resilience is a shared opportunity that requires contributions from industry, education institutions, and governments. ABB is helping by supporting its workforce while partnering with external organizations around the world.

JOIN THE TEAM THAT RUNS WHAT RUNS THE WORLD

References

1. International Energy Agency (IEA). Electricity 2026: Analysis. 2026. https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-2026
2. World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs Report 2025. January 2025. https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/
3. International Energy Agency (IEA). World Energy Employment 2023. November 2023. https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-employment-2023
4. International Energy Agency (IEA). World Energy Employment 2024. Executive Summary, 2024. https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-employment-2024/executive-summary
5. ABB Learn, Connect, Grow: How ABB Supports Career Development and Lifelong Learning. Stories Hub, 2026