Offshore Wind Jobs: What the Record AR7 Auction Means for UK Careers
The UK’s seventh renewables auction awarded a record amount of offshore wind. Here is what was agreed and what it means for offshore wind jobs over the next few years.
Energy forums are full of headline news about new capacity and record auctions, but the question people tend to ask underneath is a simple one: does any of this mean jobs? For offshore wind, the answer from the latest Contracts for Difference auction is yes, and plenty of them, although not all at once. Here is what AR7 means for offshore wind jobs.
What Happened in AR7
Allocation Round 7, or AR7, is the government’s seventh Contracts for Difference auction. It guarantees a price for the electricity that new projects produce, which gives developers the confidence to build. The results, analysed by ORE Catapult in January 2026, were a record (ORE Catapult).
In total 8.44GW of offshore wind was awarded. That was made up of 8.25GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind across six projects and 192.5MW of floating offshore wind across two projects. The budget for fixed-bottom wind was raised from £900 million to £1,790 million.
The Projects Behind the Offshore Wind Jobs
The fixed-bottom projects were Awel y Môr off North Wales, Norfolk Vanguard East and West, Dogger Bank South East and West, and the first phase of Berwick Bank off the Scottish coast. The floating projects were the Pentland demonstrator and Erebus.
Each one will need people at every stage, from survey and design to manufacturing, port work, installation and decades of operations and maintenance.
Which Offshore Wind Jobs Will Be Needed?
ORE Catapult’s analysis does not put a number on jobs, so we will not either. But the type of work is well known. Offshore wind projects need:
Not Everything Is Plain Sailing
ORE Catapult points out some risks. Grid upgrades and system balancing could hold projects back, and it forecasts about 32.2GW of offshore wind fully commissioned by 2030, around three quarters of the original 43GW target. Hitting the revised goal will need strong results in future rounds too.
For job seekers, that means the work is coming, but over a long period rather than in one rush. That is not a bad thing. A steady pipeline usually means steadier careers.
How to Get Into Offshore Wind
If you already have electrical, mechanical or marine skills, offshore wind is a natural move. Most employers will expect Global Wind Organisation (GWO) basic safety training for turbine work, plus an offshore medical. People coming from oil and gas often have a head start, and we have written a separate guide on making that move on our energy careers blog.
You can see current energy roles on our vacancies page or learn more on our energy jobs hub.
Offshore Wind Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
What is AR7?
AR7 is Allocation Round 7 of the UK's Contracts for Difference scheme, which offers new renewable projects a guaranteed price for the electricity they produce.
How much offshore wind was awarded in AR7?
In total 8.44GW: 8.25GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind across six projects and 192.5MW of floating offshore wind across two projects.
Are there offshore wind jobs in the UK?
Yes. New projects need technicians, electrical engineers, marine staff, project managers and onshore port and fabrication workers.
What training do I need for offshore wind jobs?
Most turbine roles need Global Wind Organisation basic safety training and an offshore medical, along with relevant technical skills.
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