GETI 2025 unveils a five-year trends analysis, highlighting intensifying competition for energy talent as renewables, oil & gas, and nuclear industries try to retain skilled professionals.

The report highlights that salaries in traditional energy are experiencing a strong rebound with 50% of professionals seeing a pay rise in 2025 and 71% expecting further rises next year. However, with reluctance to relocate increasing by 9% since 2021 and interest in renewables intensifying, companies must refine talent strategies to retain experienced professionals and sustain industry resilience.

Salaries Continue to Rebound

The GETI 2025 report, produced by Airswift, reveals a positive trend in salary increases after the challenging period of 2021 and 2022 with half of traditional energy professionals receiving a pay rise in 2025 and 26% seeing increases of over 5%.

This year is the first year where increases show signs of flattening out, with the percentage reporting a large increase (5% or more) falling for the first time since 2021). However, optimism is also on the rise, with 71% of professionals expecting pay increases in the next year, up from just 49% in 2021.

Janette Marx, CEO of Airswift, comments: “As the industry recovered from COVID-19, pay did not keep up with inflation. Over the last couple of years, many companies focused on closing this gap to accurately reflect the highly technical competency of the positions, which has helped attract and retain employees.”

Global Mobility and Workforce Evolution

While 80% of traditional energy professionals would consider relocating for work, this figure has declined from 89% in 2021, reflecting a shift in career priorities. Europe remains the most preferred destination, though its appeal has declined from a peak of 30% in 2022 to 26% in 2025. The Middle East remains a strong second choice, while interest in North America has remained stable.

Marx explains: “Some companies are moving to localise expatriates sooner to reduce overhead, which is weakening the financial incentive to relocate. As the industry’s contractor cohort remains strong however, these factors shouldn’t lead to a shortage of talent.” 

Career progression remains the top driver for relocation, rising to 50% in 2025, while remuneration has gained importance, replacing culture as a key motivator. Meanwhile, professionals cite proximity to family as the primary reason for reluctance to relocate, though this concern has declined year-on-year. 

Talent Retention and Career Development

As demand for expertise in traditional energy grows, 86% of professionals would consider moving to another role, with 62% open to opportunities within traditional energy. Interest in switching to renewables has also surged, rising from 56% in 2023 to 71% in 2025. Technology remains the most attractive non-energy sector, with 28% of professionals considering a move. 

Future Workforce Trends and Industry Outlook

The energy transition continues to reshape the sector, with professionals identifying advances in engineering techniques and technology (37%) and the transition to clean energy (37%) as the biggest industry opportunities. Meanwhile, optimism in employer resilience has grown, with 71% of professionals confident in their company’s ability to navigate future challenges.

Marx observes: “The results reflect the story of how the industry is evolving. Pressure has increased to make the industry cleaner, safer and more efficient – advanced technologies and techniques remain a key part of that, but AI is also coming to the fore, as we saw in last year’s GETI. Additionally, it has become increasingly imperative that we achieve this regardless of the political climate or economic pressures.”

As traditional energy professionals look to the years ahead, employers will need to continue investing in career development, workforce flexibility, and technical skills training to retain top talent and ensure long-term industry resilience.

The full report is available for download at https://www.getireport.com/

Education as an engine of social development

In the words of Nieves Segovia, president of SEK Education Group: “We are very proud to partner with Red Sea Global to provide an international education of excellence to students in Red Sea Village schools. The new schools will be spaces of innovation, sustainability and well-being, which will respond to the current challenges of educational transformation and promote the global mindset of our students.”

She added: “With these two new schools, we strengthen our presence in Saudi Arabia, which began with the opening of our SEK International School Riyadh in 2021, and allow us to continue contributing, through quality education connected to the world, to the social development of the countries in which we are present.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Darwish, Managing Director of Red Sea Global Group commented: “Providing international education in these destinations is key to our vision of creating and fostering inclusive and supportive communities for those who work in the destinations and their families”.

“SEK’s educational approach, enriched by decades of experience, will enable every student in our schools to thrive in a highly dynamic learning environment,” he said.

With the opening of these new schools, SEK now runs 15 schools in seven countries, in addition to those it already has in Spain, France, Ireland and the Middle Eastern countries mentioned above. Its international expansion also contributes to the projection of the Spanish brand in the education sector, opening up new opportunities for teachers and professionals in global environments.

SEK’s educational community, composed of over 80 nationalities, will benefit from this expansion at a key moment of social and educational transformation in the region, where interest in international educational programmes is on the rise.

Further information at: https://sek.sa/landing/turtle-bay-daraah/

About SEK Education Group

SEK Education Group encompasses an educational community that fosters the development of skills that guarantee relevant, comprehensive, international and meaningful learning. The goal of this learning is to ensure each of our students realise their full potential to build a better society. Founded in 1892, SEK Education Group brings together leadership, educational innovation and over 130 years of tradition and history.

SEK International Schools cater to over 7,000 day students between 4 months and 18 years of age from over 80 nationalities at its schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Almería, Pontevedra (Spain), Dublin (Ireland), Les Alpes (France), Doha (Qatar), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Muscat (Oman) and SEK International School Online. Camilo José Cela University promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, technology and digitization, social impact and well-being as its four strategic axes. Since May 2020 it is a certified B Corp company.