Deloitte: U.S. Energy & Chemicals Industry Charts Growth Path--Workforce to Grow 4.1% by 2033, Industry Embraces AI, 1.2 Million Workers Need Upskilling

While the workforce is poised for significant growth, significant upskilling and reskilling are needed to meet the industry's focus on resilience, productivity, safety, and compliance

NEW YORK, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

Key takeaways

• Energy & Chemicals (E&C) employment in the U.S. is expected to rise 4.1% by 2033.
• More than half of the current E&C workforce, or 1.2 million workers, are expected to need upskilling and 534,000 employees are expected to need reskilling over the next decade.
• Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping E&C work: one-third of tasks analyzed are expected to have humans-in-the-loop, with machines and agentic AI leading the efforts.

Why this matters 
The U.S. E&C sector, which comprises 1.84 million direct workers and several thousands more who are indirectly employed, is at a critical inflection point where its response to external pressures will impact its future competitiveness and the effective transformation of its workforce. This is according to Deloitte's new report, "U.S. Energy and Chemicals Workforce: Transforming for a Resilient Future." The report examines the future of the industry's workforce, including employment trends, workforce composition, technology, and skills readiness.

Transforming the talent landscape
The E&C sector is faced with several disruptive factors including trade trends, inflation, supply chain challenges, and the integration of AI and other digital technologies. To meet these demands, the sector is navigating strategic decisions about investment, portfolio expansion, and workforce agility to drive success.

• Total U.S. E&C employment is expected to rise 4.1% by 2033, primarily led by the chemicals industry.
• As companies focus on safety, compliance, automation, and resiliency, more than 60% of the workforce or 1.2 million workers are expected to need upskilling in new technologies, process operations, and analytics. Another 534,000 workers need to be reskilled on emerging technologies and changed portfolio of companies.
• Slow and cyclical growth, high consolidation, and an aging workforce have led to a 6.5% drop in the sector's direct employment between 2014-2024, according to Deloitte analysis.

Digitalization and AI reshape work
Despite an aging workforce and evolving product demand, E&C companies have historically maintained success through productivity gains, process innovation, and selective outsourcing. At the same time, digitalization and AI are now fundamentally transforming E&C work. Effective integration of AI solutions and robust management of autonomous systems could help the workforce realize the full value of digitalization.

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of task hours across the energy and chemicals occupations analyzed are expected to remain human-driven; the remaining one-third (36%) are expected to see human-in-the-loop involving machine automation (26%) and Generative and agentic AI (10%). 
• According to Deloitte analysis, 20% of task hours could benefit from the synergy of mechanical/electrical and human expertise, while 26% of task hours could benefit from mechanical and electronical automation.
• E&C companies have also boosted their productivity and improved their agility through investment in IT outsourcing and operational services, such as business process services and managed services, to enhance business performance. Around 41% of enterprise IT spending by the U.S. E&C sector in 2024 was allocated to IT outsourcing services.

Key Quote
"The sheer size, influence, and importance of the energy and chemicals sector makes it important to the future of not only U.S. energy, but also the U.S. economy. How the industry navigates macroeconomic headwinds, new technologies, and shifts in energy and manufacturing could have an impact not just on business growth, but the country's economic growth, energy affordability, and the nation's energy future. Companies across the sector who evolve their workforce strategies and focus on developing new skills could be better positioned for long-term growth."

— Rick Carr, principal and vice chair, U.S. energy and chemicals leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP

About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500^® and more than 8,500 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters for our people, clients, and communities. We leverage our unique blend of business acumen, command of technology, and strategic technology alliances to advise our clients across industries as they build their future. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing 180 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 460,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte