Three Trends Shaping Learning and Development in the Energy Industry for 2025
GenAI, human skills, and micro-credentials are converging to reshape the energy industry’s workforce, driving demand for specialized expertise and future-ready talent. Here’s how.
The energy industry is at a crossroads. The urgent need to transition to cleaner energy sources, the rise of powerful technologies like GenAI, and mounting cybersecurity threats demand a workforce equipped with specialized knowledge and adaptable skills. In this rapidly evolving landscape, upskilling is no longer optional—it's essential for both individual and organizational success.
To help energy leaders navigate this transformation, Coursera's Industry Skills Brief 2025 provides a data-driven roadmap for building a future-ready workforce. Drawing on insights from over 174,000 energy professionals on Coursera, the report reveals the most critical skills, the hottest learning trends, and the strategies that will define success in the years ahead.
Join Coursera experts Jeremy York, Senior Content Strategy Taxonomy & Innovation Manager, and Nitish Thappa, Manager, Tech & Data Content Strategy, as they break down the three key trends shaping the energy industry's skills landscape.
Key takeaways
The energy industry is rapidly embracing GenAI, with course enrollments surging as companies seek to leverage its power to optimize operations, improve safety, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources.
Human skills are critical for navigating energy's complex landscape, with leadership development, change management, and negotiation topping the list of in-demand skills needed to lead teams through transformation.
Micro-credentials are experiencing explosive growth in energy, reflecting the industry's need for specialized skills in areas like cybersecurity and supply chain management, as well as the desire for career advancement among energy professionals.
Three trends shaping skills development in energy for 2025
1) The impact of GenAI
Generative AI is no longer a futuristic concept in the energy sector—it's rapidly becoming an indispensable tool for innovation and efficiency. This surge in interest is undeniable, with Coursera data revealing a remarkable 1,343% year-over-year growth in GenAI course enrollment within the energy industry.
Why the intense interest? The energy sector, with its vast amounts of data generated from power plants, grids, and sensors, is ripe for GenAI applications.
"From optimizing power distribution to predicting equipment failures, GenAI offers enormous potential to transform how energy companies operate," says Nitish Thappa
Applications of GenAI in energy include:
Analyzing sensor data to predict equipment failures and schedule maintenance before costly outages occur.
Using predictive modeling to anticipate demand surges and ensure grid stability, even during peak hours.
As Nitish points out, "Energy companies are sitting on a goldmine of data. GenAI provides the tools to unlock valuable insights that can improve decision-making, increase efficiency, and drive innovation across the entire value chain."
Popular GenAI courses among energy professionals highlight this hunger for practical, immediately applicable skills:
2) An emphasis on leadership and human skills
While GenAI grabs headlines, a quieter revolution is underway in energy: the rise of human skills as essential drivers of success. It's not a contradiction—it's a recognition that technology is only as effective as the people wielding it.
Coursera's Industry Skills Brief 2025 reveals a striking truth: Nine of the top 10 skills in demand within the energy sector are human skills:
Negotiation
Influencing
Leadership development
Supply chain systems
Change management
Adaptability
Planning
Collaboration
Organizational development
Business communication
This emphasis reflects the unprecedented transformation the energy industry is undergoing. As companies navigate the complex transition to cleaner energy sources, adapt to evolving market dynamics, and integrate disruptive technologies, they need leaders who can guide teams through uncertainty, drive innovation and collaboration, and negotiate complex agreements.
As energy markets evolve and pricing models shift, negotiation skills are essential, and not just for external deals, according to Coursera's Jeremy York. "With so many new aspects emerging in the energy industry, pricing is in flux," he says. "It's no surprise that negotiation skills are so in demand, not just for external deals, but also for internal collaboration and stakeholder management."
This need for human-centered leadership is especially crucial given the persistent gender gap in energy, where women hold only 14% of leadership roles. By prioritizing leadership development and soft skills training, energy companies can foster more inclusive workplaces where diverse perspectives can thrive and drive innovation.
Leading energy companies are recognizing the need for human-centered leadership, with Reliance Industries Limited, a Fortune 500 company and Coursera client, as a prime example. "I believe leadership development is paramount to the energy sector," shares Sumegha Lazarus, their SGM & Head of Content and Digital Learning. "Leaders in energy must manage technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and market fluctuations, all while steering their organizations toward both sustainability and profitability."
To support the development of these vital talents, Coursera recommends these impactful courses:
Leading Transformations: Manage Change, Macquarie University
Leading from Within, University of Notre Dame
High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation, Northwestern University
These programs empower energy professionals at all levels to become the adaptable, people-focused leaders the industry needs to navigate a future bright with possibility.
3) An increased demand for micro-credentials
The energy industry's shift toward new technologies and a sustainable future demands a workforce equipped with specialized, evolving skill sets. This hunger for knowledge is reflected in the remarkable 324% year-over-year growth in Professional Certificate enrollments within the energy sector—the highest surge among all industries studied in Coursera's Industry Skills Brief 2025.
This focus on micro-credentials reflects the changing dynamics of the energy workforce. For seasoned professionals, Professional Certificates provide a way to update their skills and showcase their readiness to take on new challenges. For those entering the energy sector, these credentials offer a valuable edge in a competitive job market. As Jeremy York points out, these credentials provide "concrete evidence of skills proficiency."
The most sought-after Professional Certificates among energy learners underscore these trends:
As Jeremy York notes, "Being able to show concrete evidence that they've developed some applied skills in that area helps [professionals] get one of those jobs."
Two areas stand out as particularly critical for energy's future: cybersecurity and supply chain management.
"The energy sector is critical to national infrastructure," emphasizes Nitish Thappa. "Without power, almost everything grinds to a halt. Energy companies hold vast amounts of customer data, and the services they provide are essential, making robust cybersecurity a top priority."
Equally important is specialized knowledge of energy supply chains, which have faced unprecedented disruptions in recent years. "The global surge in energy demand, coupled with the complexities of transitioning to renewable sources, requires a deep understanding of supply chain dynamics," adds Thappa.
By investing in micro-credential programs that target these in-demand areas, energy companies can ensure they have the talent pipeline needed to navigate a future full of challenge and opportunity.
Drive innovation in energy with a strategic blend of technical and human skills
To thrive amidst the complexities of the energy transition, organizations need more than just technical expertise—they need a workforce equipped with a powerful blend of both hard and soft skills. Coursera's Industry Skills Brief 2025 provides suggestions on how to make this vision a reality.
By embracing the power of GenAI, investing in human-centered leadership development, and unlocking career growth through micro-credentials, energy leaders can:
Equip your workforce to harness cutting-edge technologies and drive innovation in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable practices.
Cultivate a culture of agility and adaptability, empowering your people to embrace change, solve complex challenges, and lead with confidence through industry shifts.
Attract top talent, close critical skills gaps, and fuel organizational growth by providing access to flexible, in-demand learning opportunities through micro-credentials.
The future of energy is bright with possibility. Download the complete Industry Skills Brief 2025 and discover how to empower your workforce to seize it.
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.