As India speeds ahead towards a future focused on sustainability and clean energy, the emergence of green jobs provides a historic opportunity to harness and develop its workforce. One area of promise within this transformation is the power transmission & distribution (T&D) sector, which is essential in terms of integrating renewable energy and modernising the grid itself. With a focus on skills and training, the T&D sector can be a major source of quality, future-ready jobs, notes Nawin Chandra.
India has set ambitious goals to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and attain net-zero emissions by 2070. These targets are creating momentum in power infrastructure development, particularly in T&D. As more renewable energy sources like solar and wind are added to the grid, the need for upgraded transmission lines, substations, and advanced grid systems is rapidly increasing.
This growth presents a powerful opportunity for job creation. According to the Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), the renewable energy sector alone could generate up to 1.7 million jobs by 2030. The broader green economy in India is projected to support over 30 million jobs by 2047, as estimated by the CEEW and Skill India reports.
Shifting the focus to skills
To tap into this opportunity, we need to start where there is the greatest enabler: skills. There is a lot of engineering and all sorts of technical education out there. But there is a huge gap in practical training learning in areas like design engineering, surveying, qualification for project tenders, and grid analytics – areas critical to the T&D system.
But change is coming. There is growing awareness on the part of institutions that education can no longer end with textbook learning; after all, practical experience — learning specific to a sector — needs to include hands-on training. We are certainly seeing a movement toward vocational education, applied learning, and real-world exposure, which support employability.
Closing the supply-demand gap with purpose
The need for skilled T&D professionals is increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, around 64 per cent of engineering graduates could find jobs in 2024 according to a Statista report. While this number continues to climb, it shows that we can still effectuate a closer alignment between the education of students and the professional expectations of industry.
By updating the curriculum and strengthening industry-academia partnerships, it is possible to close this gap. Educational institutions need to begin adjusting their programs promptly that will allow them to be more in sync with trends in their sector, if our institutions begin to offer material about smart grids, GIS, regulatory regimes, and green codes, students will be job-ready and better able to adapt to the inevitable advancements of their chosen field.
The specialized talent crunch in transmission EPC
While the expansion of the grid is non-negotiable, the sector faces a critical roadblock: a widening scarcity of specialized technical talent. Despite the high volume of engineering graduates, there is an acute shortage of professionals skilled in high-precision EPC roles, such as substation automation (SAS), EHV (Extra High Voltage) line stringing, and project management for urban vertical construction.
This “skill-gap” is often due to the rapid evolution of technology, like the transition from traditional lattice towers to multi-circuit monopoles—outpacing current vocational curriculum. To address this, we must look beyond traditional hiring and adopt a “Hire-Train-Deploy” model. By integrating site-simulated training environments and Virtual Reality (VR) modules for safety and assembly, we can compress the learning curve for new entrants.
Furthermore, incentivizing long-term apprenticeships specifically for transmission line stringing and GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear) maintenance will ensure that the workforce is not just theoretically sound, but execution-ready for the complexities of a modernized grid.
Programs like Skill India Mission, PMKVY, and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) are encouraging youth to pursue training aligned with future energy careers.
Collaborative action for a greener workforce
There is already promising collaboration in motion. Through initiatives led by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and sector bodies like SCGJ, industry leaders are contributing to curriculum design, certification programs, and practical training pathways.
What’s encouraging is that several companies are stepping up to offer apprenticeships, sponsor training centres, and participate in campus engagements. This spirit of partnership is vital to building a pipeline of skilled workers who are not just employable but are drivers of India’s green economy.
Government support has also been instrumental. Programs like Skill India Mission, PMKVY, and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) are encouraging youth to pursue training aligned with future energy careers. These efforts are helping ensure that no region or demographic is left behind in this transformation.
A positive outlook
Making the switch to a greener economy is not only an environmental requirement but also a job opportunity. The T&D sector has significant potential, significant expansion, and significant investment, providing the basis for good, sustainable careers for young people.
By combining industry knowledge, academic innovation, and policy support, we can develop a workforce that will benefit the industry from day one – but also be future-ready. The future looks bright, and the time to invest in green skills is now, particularly in power transmission & distribution.
About the author: Nawin Chandra is Chief Human Resources Officer, Bajel Projects Ltd