One of many main tales that outlined the tech sector in 2023 was layoffs. Firms massive and small shed over 240,000 jobs within the final 12 months, and whereas the pattern has cooled of late, it hasn’t stopped, with practically 7,000 jobs lower in November alone.
However there have been brilliant spots. Local weather tech is one sector that has been hiring, and 2024 appears like it will likely be persevering with the pattern.
Clear power jobs have grown 10% previously two years, outpacing the financial system as a complete, in keeping with a report by trade group E2. By 2032, when the Inflation Discount Act is about to run out, the fastest-growing job fields embody wind turbine technician (45% progress) and photo voltaic photovoltaic installer (22% progress), in keeping with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For startups, 2023 was extra muddled. As buyers closed their pocketbooks, founders needed to make laborious decisions about the right way to lengthen their runways. Some needed to resort to layoffs, however not everybody. Many founders I’ve spoken with proceed to emphasise that they’re hiring for a wide range of roles.
For these laid off from the overall tech sector, local weather tech would seem like an interesting pivot, and for a lot of, that’s proving to be true. Practically each firm wants software program builders, challenge managers and designers. Is there a necessity for 240,000 of them? In all probability not but. And a few that seem like a detailed match would possibly require a little bit of local weather or power data on the a part of the applicant.
In different phrases, there’s a expertise hole.