Samenvatting

The accelerating transition toward renewable energy is reshaping labour markets and placing unprecedented demands on education systems. While existing didactical approaches in energy education, such as project-based or simulation-based learning, strengthen technical skills, they often fall short in preparing learners to navigate the
complexity and uncertainty of socio-technical transformation. This paper presents a scenario study based on the Ruhr region of Germany, exploring how renewable energy expansion and structural change may influence the regional education landscape by 2040. Using the Scenario-Manager™ framework, key socio-political, economic and technological drivers were identified, future projections were developed, and four plausible scenarios ranging from “Failed Transformation” to “Sustainable Transformation” were constructed. Across all scenarios, education emerged as both a driver and an enabler of sustainable transition, underlining the importance of long-term investment in green skills and inclusive access to emerging learning pathways. Beyond its empirical insights, the study demonstrates the value of scenario methodology as a didactic tool in sustainability and energy education. By engaging learners in systems thinking, foresight and collaborative decision-making, scenario-based learning equips future professionals to respond to and actively shape change in the energy sector.