Energy transition and the gender considerations of the workforce transformation. A critical review of the Dutch case.

The energy transition does not present just a technological challenge. The emerging technological innovations take place within a social context in which requirements are set for the energy system of the future: affordable, reliable, and sustainable. The complexity of the challenge lies in how the energy transition can develop along with the societal needs, creating the necessary support for the transition to happen and enabling cooperative frameworks between the government and the citizens. The sufficient availability of well-qualified people is an important precondition for solving the current and future climate and energy issues and, therefore, the labor market will undergo a significant transformation due to the energy and climate imperatives. Those newly formed conditions will impact parts of society on a different scale and pace. This paper, focusing on the Dutch case, seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of women within the energy transition from three perspectives, technical, economic, and social. Then, by identifying the status of women working within the Dutch energy transition, the paper will attempt a critical assessment of the set priorities/ambitions, policies, and strategies developed by the Dutch public and private sector within the intersection of gender, energy transition, and the climate change combat. Furthermore, it identifies and analyses policy interventions to stimulate more girls to choose STEM education and facilitate women to choose a career in the energy sector.