During the pandemic, demand for oil and gas fell drastically, causing major layoffs in the industry. However, many renewable businesses expanded after the pandemic and have employed many of the geologists and engineers that had been let go from large oil companies like Exxon and Mobile. Now, there is a trend appearing as energy workers shift into jobs in renewable energy as they consider climate change and the unfavorable cycle of hiring and firings accompanying volatile gas and oil prices. The pandemic created a lot of opportunities for renewable energy businesses, and as a result, the workforce is beginning to change to reflect that as more traditional energy jobs are lost.
See "Energy workers shifting to jobs in renewable energy jobs as opportunities in traditional gas and oil companies decline post-pandemic", Clifford Krauss, New York Times, February 27, 2023