Agenda & Speakers | Get tickets for our Skills & Diversity Day
Day Three – Skills and Diversity. Thursday 7th November 2024 from 09:30 – 12:30 GMT. See the registration link at the bottom of this page to get tickets.
Energy Security and Green Infrastructure Week is the UK’s biggest green infrastructure conference. This exclusive online-only conference features 30 high-profile speakers sharing their insights over three mornings, focusing on energy, networks, skills and diversity. Hear the latest thinking from business leaders, academics, policymakers and shapers, and solution providers. Last year, we welcomed 640 delegates – don’t miss your chance to join us this year!
Skills and Diversity Day Agenda.
09:30 – 10:20 GMT
Championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Energy Sector.
Join us for an enlightening session focused on the critical themes of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the energy industry. Dr. Emma Wilcox, Chief Executive of the Society for the Environment, will discuss the importance of diverse teams in driving productivity and delivering effective solutions. While progress has been made in increasing workforce diversity, she will highlight the ongoing challenges that prevent the industry from fully reflecting the communities it serves. Dr. Wilcox will explore strategies for improving attraction, recruitment, and retention, sharing positive examples that show meaningful change is possible. Charlotte Morton OBE, Chief Executive of the World Biogas Association, will share the WBA’s commitment to gender parity through initiatives like the Women in Biogas working group. She will introduce an innovative mentorship program aimed at uplifting women into leadership roles, promoting biogas as a promising career path, and addressing the unique challenges faced by women in the industry. Charlotte will emphasise that diversity and inclusion are essential drivers of innovation, performance, and progress, reinforcing the importance of empowering women to bring their perspectives and talents to the forefront.
10:30 – 11:20 GMT
Skills for the Energy Economy: Navigating the Transition to Net Zero.
Join us for a crucial session that addresses the urgent need for skills development in the transition to a green energy economy. Rhys Morgan, Strategic Projects Director for Skills and Inclusion at the Royal Academy of Engineering, will highlight the projected demand for over 500,000 new jobs in the next twenty years as we move toward net zero. He will discuss the critical skills required across various sectors, including offshore wind, hydrogen production, grid decarbonisation, battery manufacturing, and home retrofitting, while posing the pressing question: where will these skills come from? Emma Thompson, Executive Director of the Society of Operations Engineers, will delve into the importance of upskilling and reskilling the workforce as key drivers of the net zero transition. She will emphasise the need for clear standards and competencies to ensure efficiency and sustainability. Additionally, Emma will address the challenges ahead and discuss strategies for boosting accountability and enthusiasm within the workforce to achieve our sustainability targets.
11:30 – 12:20 GMT
Empowering the Future: Skills Development for the Nuclear Power Sector.
Join Alex Nicholson, Head of Nuclear Skills and Nuclear Supply Chain at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as he discusses the UK’s ambitious targets for expanding the nuclear sector across both civil and defence applications. This session will explore the crucial role that skills development and supply chain capability play in delivering a resilient energy system, ensuring national security, and driving economic prosperity. Alex will address the pressing workforce gap in the nuclear industry and highlight opportunities for cultivating a skilled workforce. Central to his discussion will be the National Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills, which exemplifies unprecedented collaboration between the civil and defence nuclear sectors aimed at building a robust talent pipeline. Arun Khuttan, Chair of the Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council will be joining this session to offer his views. The Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council was established as a shadow board to the Nuclear Industry Council in 2020 and comprises around 12 young professionals who represent public and private sector organisations as well as the Nuclear Industry Association.
Registration – Get Your Tickets.
Register below for the first day of the online conference. Each day is one continuous session. If you would like to see the full three-day agenda and register for multiple days you will need to register per day, see our full three-day agenda here.
