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UTILITY WEEK | 27TH MAY - 2ND JUNE 2016 | 15 I n the Streetworks theatre, the skills chal- lenge – and the looming skills crisis – was the hot topic. The fact that half of the cur- rent workforce within the utility sector will leave in the next decade, either by retiring or by going elsewhere, is an issue companies cannot afford to ignore. It is being addressed in two ways: Attracting new talent Utilities and their contractors need to "tap into the PS4 generation", according to Glen Tymon, group training manager for Morrison Utility Services. He told delegates: "There is no longer just a toolbox of spanners, shovels and picks. The new generation need to be able to pilot drones and have the dexterity to be able to handle high and technically skilled tasks – and even to be able to use things that have not yet been invented." Tymon added that to attract these new types of people, the sector needs an image refresh. Jan Atkinson, talent and organisation development director at Kier, agreed that an image overhaul is required to "tap into the millennial generation". She added that companies and contrac- tors should offer "inclusive pathways" to encourage women to join the workforce, as well as ex-offenders, NEETS, and younger people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Retaining existing talent Atkinson said companies must ensure there are obvious, clear and achievable career pathways, "matching aspirations and ena- bling employees to continue on their learn- ing journey". Selling the sector as a learning pathway, with transferable skills, is vital. This will ensure staff – both new and old – are pre- Handing on the baton There is a looming skills crisis, both in the number of new recruits and compa- nies' ability to pass on expertise. S P E C I A L R E P O RT / M AY 2 0 1 6 Skills Energy PR @EnergyPR We've been out and about today catching up on all things 'utilities' at #UWL16. Great to see a busy show, full of innovation. Utility Week @UtilityWeek @SmartEnergyGB give us a sneak peak at the national ad campaign beginning this summer #UWL16 #utilityweeklive ofgem @ofgem Dermot Nolan urges energy industry to back CMA remedies - "it's not regulatory pick n' mix where u can choose ones you like most" #UWL16 Waterwise @Waterwise Really good session on #water #resilience chaired by @droughtandflood at #uwl16 Adler & Allan @AdlerandAllan #Resilience & protection are not the same - find out the fundamental differences at the #UWL16 Water theatre seminar now... Gary Morton @gary_morton65 #UWL16 Water Theatre @BIM4Water debat- ing the change that #BIM can bring Water AMP6 @EnvAgency @ch2m @MWHGlobal @ AnglianWater. @ACOWater Lois Vallely @LoisVallely Kate Long from @nationalgriduk talking about customer impact of gas mains replacement programme, in Gas Theatre @ UtilityWeekLive #UWL16 Gas Safety Trust @GasSafetyTrust 'We do not currently know of a CO incident where a CO alarm was present' GST Chairman Chris Bielby - be #COSafe buy an alarm #UWL16 UK PowerNetworksNews @UKPNnews Check out our new virtual tours of Britain's biggest battery in Leighton Buzzard at @ UtilityWeekLive #UWL16 pared for new technologies the sector will adopt. This "learning agility" enables staff to transfer within the secator to different areas, keeping them in the sector. Atkinson told delegates Kier runs a devel- opment academy, whereby senior staff men- tor younger employees, passing on essential skills and knowledge. Tymon agreed that those "in their later years" should be used as coaches. Aside from benefitting the younger staff, he said, senior staff are being enthused and "re-ener- gised" by this approach, which is encourag- ing them to stay on in the sector. MB Top Tweets Water Dragons A piece of technology which removes nitro- gen bubbles from activated sludge floc has come out the winner of the Water Dragons competition, held at Utility Week Live. Glan Agua's Mixed Liquor Vacuum Degassing technology was chosen as the winner from the four presentations in the competition, which was organised by the Future Water Association and sponsored by Hydrosave. Glan Agua's Julian Drapiewski (right) receives the award from FWA's Paul Horton Skills partnership for 2017 In 2017 Utility Week Live will expand its coverage of industry skills challenges by partnering with the National Skills Academy for Power's (NSAP) annual conference and awards (Energy & Utility Skills Group events). NSAP's 2016 conference, held on 19 May in Glasgow, focused on the application of the new apprenticeship levy and the impact this will have on employer investment in apprenticeships across the UK. It also used the event to launch a new Skills Accord, which aims to raise sector-wide skills support through procurement policy.