Understanding the employment effects of renewable energy transition: a multi-dimensional analysis of Vietnam’s energy sector

Purpose This study aims to quantify the multidimensional employment impacts of Vietnam’s renewable energy transition across different scenarios, timeframes and demographic segments to inform policy development for a just and sustainable energy transition. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a novel modified input–output framework specifically adapted for Vietnam’s economic structure, integrating scenario-based projections of renewable energy deployment from 2022 to 2050. This methodologically innovative approach distinguishes between construction/installation versus operation/maintenance phases whilst examining direct, indirect and distributional employment effects across skill levels, gender dimensions and geographic regions using Vietnam-specific concordance matrices and employment coefficients. Findings Vietnam’s energy transition generates substantial net positive employment effects, ranging from 218,700 positions (2022–2025) to 727,400 positions (2045–2050), with distinctive temporal and sectoral patterns. Construction phases dominate employment generation (96%–98%), whilst renewable technologies create three to four times more jobs per megawatt than fossil fuel alternatives. Significant distributional variations emerge, with renewable sectors requiring higher proportions of skilled labour (26%–32% high-skilled positions versus 18%–22% in conventional energy) and offering improved gender balance potential (35%–40% female participation in solar PV versus 10%–15% in conventional energy). Originality/value This study provides the first comprehensive quantification of employment impacts from Vietnam’s energy transition, offering novel methodological advances through temporal phase differentiation and the first distributional analysis across skill levels and gender dimensions within a Southeast Asian developing economy context. The research extends input–output methodologies by incorporating Vietnam-specific parameters, advancing theoretical understanding of how socio-technical transitions reshape occupational structures in emerging economies.