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NETWORK / 14 / MAY 2019 SKILLS Creating a resilient workforce for the future Nick Ellins, chief executive of Energy & Utility Skills Group, talks about the work being done to attract talent into the sector. T he energy industry faces a chal- lenging future. On all sides the issues are vast, and the pace of change is accelerating. From the regulated market facing high levels of regulatory and political uncertainty, to changing expecta - tions from consumers; we are experiencing a revolution of the energy system. Security of supply, low cost and low carbon remain high on the political agenda. Companies are balancing these challenges against increas - ing efficiency demands and a supply chain in need of more sustainable risk levels and margins. In meeting these challenges, one asset is arguably the most critical – the human as- set. Our people will provide the answers to the issues on our table today, and strategi- cally plan the energy system for tomorrow. Sustainable workforce planning is vital. economy. Recognising the lost opportunities and the potential of collaboration, Energy & Utility Skills, brought together 28 of the CEOs from the utility sector in a pioneering 'Energy & Utilities Skills Partnership'. This has provided leadership and an inaugu- ral skills strategy that covers power, gas, water and waste. Widely supported by the primary stakeholders, it seeks to address the quantity, quality and transferability of a workforce delivering vital public value. These leaders have worked well as a team; already securing recognition of workforce resilience within the water and energy regulatory price reviews and within the Industrial Strategy, but with more policy targets in sight. They have started mass talent attraction to improve the capability and diversity of the workforce. The strategy and collabora - tive approach is proving effective. Even in its early stages, the Talent Source Network has already reached an audience of over four million people, secured over 50 per cent women inquirers, helped 3,500 to actively seek careers today. With the Apprenticeship Levy, it would have been easy for the sector to oppose the decision while all the time potentially losing great people from our industry. Instead, through the pioneering collaboration, the sector decided to quickly solve the issue itself, delivering meaningful results. Despite the lack of government sponsorship, the utility sector is now among the highest Levy recoverers in the UK economy. Skills in the supply chain is also a focus for the Partnership. Increasing the collec - tive investment in training and skills gaps is being addressed by a 56 company-wide collaboration called the Procurement Skills Accord. The desired standards are set within procurement, and then promoted right through the vital supply chain via a voluntary accord. The first-year audit of companies showed they had outperformed every set target for investments. The CEOs on the Energy & Utilities Skills Partnership have never sought a monopoly on the activity resulting from the inaugural sector skills strategy. It was a call to arms, in the face of what the Treasury call "full em - ployment status". We have the tightest UK labour market ever recorded, and wage in- flation starting as the competition for talent accelerates. We win together, or we struggle on alone. From across the stakeholder spectrum, organisations are doing their bit, to ensure energy has a safe, skilled and sustainable workforce, with the behaviours and cultures needed to ensure we all deliver what our customers and society require. At the macro level, addressing workforce resilience is not as easy as it should be. There is no UK workforce and resilience strategy to lead us through a post Brexit economy, and whilst the pivotal work poli - cies sit within central government's Depart- ment for Work and Pensions, Home Office, HM Treasury, BEIS Industrial Strategy, etc, the actual subject of skills has been devolved. We are seeing this devolution dis - solve further to more local institutions. Every devolved entity is working dili- gently on their piece of the puzzle, but has no idea if and how it connects, or what the picture on the lid of the box might look like. Even the flagship UK Government Ap- prenticeship Levy divided the nations. It also missed the regulated energy and utility market out completely, with none of the 15 technical professional routes seeing the value of energy, water or waste to the entire