GETI 2026: Ageing workforce and declining mobility challenge oil & gas sector’s talent pipeline
Airswift, the global workforce solutions provider to the energy industry, has launched its tenth annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI), the world’s most established and comprehensive energy workforce trends report.
4 February 2026
Salary optimism remains high, but pay growth flatlines for traditional energy professionals
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- AI uptake in traditional energy rises to 45%, but remains slower than other sectors
- Willingness to relocate hits new low, increasing the challenge for securing talent globally
Salaries and an ageing workforce
Produced by Airswift and supported by Energy Jobline, the report shows that 50% of professionals and 60% of hiring managers say that pay has increased in 2025. However, while salary optimism remains strong, growth has slowed compared to previous years. 67% of professionals expect pay increases next year, down from 71% in 2025.The workforce also continues to skew older: professionals aged over 45 now comprise 48% of the workforce, while the share of professionals aged 25 to 34 has declined to 19%.James Allen, CEO at Airswift says: “The ageing workforce challenge is becoming increasingly urgent to address as traditional energy organisations are struggling to make hires with the right technical expertise and experience. With only a third of hiring managers actively recruiting graduates to build their talent pipeline, there is an opportunity for the sector to do much more to secure the people it needs.”Global mobility
The report indicates a decline in global mobility, with only 75% of traditional energy professionals now willing to relocate for work - down from 80% in 2025 and 89% in 2022. Preferred destinations have also shifted, with the Middle East and Europe now sharing the top spot (25% each), while Asia has remained steady at 16%.Jayden Wallis, President ASPAC & Airswift Resourcing at Airswift adds: “The Middle East is investing trillions of dollars to diversify their economies and are lowering barriers to entry so that organisations can secure the talent they need to deliver an ambitious pipeline of projects.”Related reading
- The evolving landscape of global mobility: strategy, flexibility and inclusion
- The global mobility versus global fertility conundrum
- Talent selection and development as levers for organisational change
- Closing the UK’s digital skills gap
AI and career development
Over the last three years, AI has had a significant impact on the energy industry. Now, 45% of traditional energy professionals use AI in their role - a 187% increase since 2024 (24%). However, 30% of professionals still do not use AI to support career development.Despite concerns that AI could replace some engineering and technical operations roles, 50% of the hiring managers say that these are the roles they struggle the most to recruit for. To address these hiring challenges, hiring managers are changing recruitment processes and revising role requirements. Nearly half of hiring managers are improving learning and development programs with a further 45% using AI and automation to ensure its company has the skills it needs.Wallis says: “Hiring managers are increasingly struggling to recruit experienced professionals, while a smaller percentage of younger talent is entering the workforce. With the cost of boomerang professionals - those returning post-retirement on a contractual basis - rising, companies need to be proactive in addressing the talent gap. Investing in retention and attracting younger generations will be essential for closing the gap and securing the talent needed for the future.”The full report is available for download here.About GETI 2026
This is the tenth annual edition of GETI, the energy industry’s most established and comprehensive global workforce trends survey. Building on the success of the nine previous volumes, GETI 2026 draws on the views of over 9,000 energy professionals in 143 different countries. The 57-question survey was open for ten weeks and closed in October 2025About Airswift
Airswift is an international workforce solutions provider for STEM professionals in the technology and engineering sectors. For over 40 years, Airswift has been transforming lives through the workforce solutions we provide, including talent acquisition, global employment and mobility, managed solutions, and consulting.Today, we are an integrated team of 1,000 employees, 60 offices and over 9,000 contractors. Driven by three corporate hubs in Houston, Manchester, and Singapore, we have a truly global approach and a reach that is unparalleled.We provide strategic support to our customers, resulting in trusted partnerships that are aligned and efficient. Our team of experts are ideally positioned to meet your needs, whether that is finding top talent, mobilising people around the world, implementing an agile workforce strategy or improving decision-making for workforce planning. For more information, please visit our website at www.airswift.comAbout Energy Jobline
Energy Jobline is a leading global energy job board and talent platform, connecting employers with over 7 million energy professionals worldwide through our database, socials, and partner networks.With 250,000+ energy and engineering roles advertised monthly, we partner with the world’s leading energy companies to deliver high-impact recruitment solutions.We specialise across Oil & Gas, Renewables, Engineering, Power, and Nuclear, while supporting emerging sectors including EV, Battery, and Fusion technologies. Our mission is simple: to help employers access the best talent and enable energy professionals to discover the most exciting career opportunities globally.Quality, innovation, and inclusivity sit at the heart of everything we do. Through a unique network of industry partnerships including women in energy organisations, energy news hubs, professional bodies, and community platforms, we provide access to exclusive and highly engaged talent audiences that cannot be reached elsewhere.This engagement, combined with our global reach and sector focus, makes Energy Jobline a trusted recruitment partner for the energy industry worldwide.www.energyjobline.com
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Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.
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