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Number of wind and marine jobs increased by 74%

The number of jobs in the wind and marine energy industries has increased by 74 per cent since 2010, according to a new study from Renewable UK.

In an update of its 2010 report, the trade body revealed that these industries directly employ 18,465 people full time in the UK, up from 10,600 three years ago.

The offshore wind sector saw the biggest growth over this period, with the number of direct jobs doubling from 3,151 to 6,830 between 2010 and 2013.

The report also showed that women make up 20 per cent of the sector’s workforce – which is lower than the proportion of women in the UK’s technical and professional occupations, but proportionally higher than in the power sector overall.

Maria McCaffery, Renewable UK’s chief executive, said: “Industry and government need to work side by side to back this workforce and the growth they generate.

“If the UK gets this right, our wind, wave and tidal industries could employ more than 70,000 people over the next decade.

“The offshore wind sector alone could be employing nearly 45,000 workers in the 2020s.

“As an industry we are truly creating jobs out of fresh air.”