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UTILITY WEEK | 2ND - 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 | 21 Operations & Assets Expert speakers for 2016 • Dave Newborough, HR director, Eon • Will Serle, group HR director, Amec Foster Wheeler • Sarah Hopkins, HR director, Wales & West Utilities • Chris Degg, HR director, UK Power Networks • Nick Ellins, chief executive, EU Skills • Sara White, head of HR, South West Water • Shauna Purdey, head of HR, Yorkshire Water • David Lewis, professor of employment law, Middlesex Univer- sity London To view more details and to register, visit: www.uw-hr.net Sponsored by: New venue address: The Vox Conference Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, Pendigo Way, Birmingham, B40 1PU Supportive of it or not as a policy, the government's apprenticeship levy has by default significantly increased the dialogue on strategic workforce renewal right across the UK utility sector. Its financial implica- tions and wider impacts have also taken the dialogue from the offices of learning and development profession- als, right into the boardroom. The route to those discussions may not have been planned, but the strategic dialogue may prove a helpful catalyst for change. As a sector, we are vital to society, the environment and the economy. In addition to what is done each and every day to deliver vital services to around 65 million citizens, we are collectively responsible for delivering the majority of the UK National Infrastructure Plan. A plan that is the foundation for the UK economy. Of the £425 billion of planned investment across 600- plus major projects, 57 per cent is currently assigned to electricity, gas, water and sewerage, and waste man- agement. Yet while there is a National Infrastructure Plan for skills which considers transport and housing construction, as of today no strategic workforce renewal plan has ever existed for the vital businesses in our sector. In addition, the three million apprenticeship target behind the levy was never conceived to ensure that new talent flowed to the sectors most vital to the economy and society. Agnostic on the outcomes, the target is blind to enabling the long-term strategies of the UK-wide government sponsoring departments responsible for utilities, and unaware of the direction and priorities of UK economic, environmental and quality regulators. Surprisingly, even those very long-term strategies, statements of direction and priorities, also have no explicit recognition of the workforce renewal challenge, a challenge being faced by all players across the sec- tor – policy makers, regulators, regulated and the vital delivery partners. Energy & Utility Skills is seeking to find a solution to that disconnect. More than 30 utility chief executives from across the UK utility spectrum are now collaborating to build a first ever workforce renewal strategy, and seek to do so in full cooperation with HM Treasury, policy makers, regulators and the main UK interest groups. From that strategy will flow sector-wide projects, to bring new energy and focus to the areas of workforce renewal that are testing employers most. Nick Ellins, group chief executive, Energy & Utility Skills The apprenticeship levy does not con- tain any specific targets for recruitment in vital utility sectors, but it may yet serve as a much-needed catalyst for change. Column Nick Ellins panies are doing and how to apply that to my organisation." HR strategy & projects manager, RED "Thoroughly recommend for HR professionals, not just within utilities." Head of HR, Kier ONE WEEK TO GO Utility Week Awards Deadline for entries