One of many main tales that outlined the tech sector in 2023 was layoffs. Firms giant and small shed over 240,000 jobs within the final yr, and whereas the development has cooled of late, it hasn’t stopped, with almost 7,000 jobs minimize in November alone.

However there have been vivid spots. Local weather tech is one sector that has been hiring, and 2024 seems like it will likely be persevering with the development.

Clear vitality jobs have grown 10% previously two years, outpacing the financial system as a complete, in line with a report by business group E2. By means of 2032, when the Inflation Discount Act is ready to run out, the fastest-growing job fields embody wind turbine technician (45% development) and photo voltaic photovoltaic installer (22% development), in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For startups, 2023 was extra muddled. As traders closed their pocketbooks, founders needed to make onerous decisions about how one can prolong their runways. Some needed to resort to layoffs, however not everybody. Many founders I’ve spoken with proceed to emphasise that they’re hiring for quite a lot of roles.

For these laid off from the final tech sector, local weather tech would look like an interesting pivot, and for a lot of, that’s proving to be true. Almost each firm wants software program builders, undertaking managers and designers. Is there a necessity for 240,000 of them? Most likely not but. And a few that appear like a detailed match would possibly require a little bit of local weather or vitality information on the a part of the applicant.

In different phrases, there’s a abilities hole.