one of the The main story in the tech industry in 2023 is layoffs. Last year, companies large and small laid off more than 240,000 jobs, and while the trend has cooled down recently, it hasn’t stopped, with nearly 7,000 jobs lost in November alone.
But there are some bright spots. Climate tech is an industry that’s always recruiting, and 2024 looks like this trend will continue.
According to a report by industry group E2, clean energy employment has increased by 10% in the past two years, exceeding the overall economic growth rate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest-growing job fields through 2032, when the Inflation Reduction Act is set to expire, include wind turbine technicians (up 45%) and solar photovoltaic installers (up 22%). .
For startups, 2023 is even more chaotic. As investors tighten their wallets, founders are forced to make tough choices about how to expand their runway. Some had to lay off employees, but not everyone. Many of the founders I spoke to continued to emphasize that they were recruiting for a variety of positions.
For those laid off from the general tech industry, climate tech seemed like an attractive pivot, and for many, it turned out to be the case. Almost every company needs software developers, project managers, and designers. Do you need 240,000? Probably not yet. Some courses that seem like a good fit may require applicants to have some climate or energy knowledge.
In other words, there is a skills gap.
