The study also found that relatively small, inexpensive interventions can have significant effects
Canada’s clean energy transition is creating thousands of new jobs, but structural barriers are preventing many qualified workers from entering the sector, according to new research from the Trellis Foundation and the University of Victoria.
The study draws on the experiences of 119 applicants to the Trellis Foundation’s bursary program, which supports women pursuing careers in the clean energy transition. Rather than identifying a lack of interest in clean energy careers, the research concludes that financial hardship, credential recognition, workplace culture, and traditional hiring practices are limiting participation at a time when demand for skilled workers continues to grow.
Rebecca Black, executive director of the Trellis Foundation, said the research was designed to better understand why people who want to work in the clean energy sector are struggling to find pathways into those careers.
“We have all these students looking for jobs in the sector, and there seems to be a disconnect,” Black said. “We wanted to understand what those disconnects are between the companies and utilities that are hiring and the people who want to work in the sector.”
The findings suggest the issue is not a shortage of interest or talent. Instead, researchers identified systemic barriers affecting women and people with intersecting identities, including newcomers to Canada, Indigenous people, racialized Canadians, LGBTQ+ individuals, and young workers. Financial insecurity, difficulties obtaining recognition for international credentials, exclusionary workplace cultures, and traditional education and hiring pathways all contribute to the problem.
Black said employers also have opportunities to broaden recruitment by reconsidering conventional hiring practices. Lengthy lists of required qualifications, for example, may discourage otherwise capable applicants from applying, particularly women.
The report recommends expanding mentorship programs, recognizing transferable skills alongside formal credentials, supporting more flexible education pathways, and treating bursaries and mentorship as essential workforce infrastructure rather than optional initiatives.
The findings come as Canada’s energy sector prepares for significant growth in electricity demand driven by electrification, renewable energy development, grid expansion, battery storage, and building decarbonization. At the same time, a growing number of experienced workers are approaching retirement, increasing pressure on employers to recruit and retain skilled employees.
Black said the discussion should be viewed primarily as an economic and workforce issue rather than a political debate over diversity initiatives.
“When we have gaps, we need to look at who can fill them,” she said. “There are a lot of people who can fill them, just not necessarily through the transition that has traditionally happened into the sector.”
The study also found that relatively small interventions can have significant effects. A modest bursary can help students remain in school instead of taking on additional work, while mentorship and networking opportunities provide valuable connections between students and employers.
Black said the Trellis Foundation is already building mentorship programs and working with industry partners to test more inclusive approaches to workforce development.
She hopes the organization’s work will eventually become unnecessary.
“The best outcome of something like the Trellis Fund is that we see the systemic change that we need,” she said. “These pilot projects wouldn’t need to happen anymore because we’ve seen scaled-up versions of inclusive policies that allow these sectors to attract and retain the people they need.”
Canada’s clean energy transition will require more than new technologies and infrastructure, Black said. It will also require building a workforce capable of delivering them.
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