cruh21 at “Zukunft Offshore 2025”: Talent, Inclusion and Responsibility in the Offshore Wind Sector
On May 22, 2025, Berlin hosted the “Zukunft Offshore” conference organized by the German Offshore Wind Farm Operators Association (BWO) – a key industry gathering focused on workforce development, talent strategy, and the global competitiveness of the offshore wind sector.
Barbara Mai, Board Member of w.one – women of new energies and Project Manager at cruh21, took part in a high-level panel discussion alongside Irina Lucke (Division Manager, Omexom) and Dr. Sandra Detzer (Member of Parliament, Alliance 90/The Greens). Together, they addressed some of the most pressing questions facing the sector today.
Key takeaways from the panel discussion:
– Over the past five years, the offshore wind industry has made significant progress in terms of digital collaboration, visibility, and the active inclusion of women in leadership and technical roles.
– However, structural challenges remain: International professionals still face obstacles when entering the German labor market. Reskilling programs for career changers are often only available at larger corporations. For SMEs, the lack of time and financial resources makes it difficult to offer such opportunities.
– The panel highlighted several key levers for action: mentoring, purpose-driven employer branding, simplified visa procedures, and the recognition of international qualifications.
– The shared conclusion: There are promising approaches in place – but they are not yet reaching broad implementation across the sector.
At cruh21, we are committed to supporting the offshore wind industry not only through project development, but also by promoting future-oriented workforce strategies, removing access barriers, and strengthening the dialogue between industry, politics and civil society.
We thank BWO for the invitation and for two days of meaningful exchange with colleagues, experts, and decision-makers – on stage, in workshops, and in conversations behind the scenes.
Conclusion:
The future of offshore wind is not just about technology. It’s about people.
