Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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UTILITY WEEK | 11TH - 17TH NOVEMBER 2016 | 21 The largest site currently under construction is at Kilgallioch, which straddles the border of south Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. With its 96 turbines and 239MW generat- ing capacity, it will become the third largest onshore site in the UK and will be capable of powering more than 130,000 homes. If you have an asset or a project you would like to see featured in this slot, email: paul.newton@fav-house.com Pipe up Dave Newborough Businesses across the UK are under pressure to ensure they have the right people with the right skills, not only to cope with upheaval and technological change, but also to continue helping customers every day. As it stands, there's a real risk that we will face a skills and workforce shortage in a number of sectors and indus- tries – including energy. Closing the skills gap is an ongoing challenge and it's clear there can't be a one-size-fits-all approach to recruit- ment. We need to develop new ways to attract, train and keep people in the sector. Our customer service apprenticeship scheme, launched in 2014, has helped provide candidates with the necessary skills for our customer operations. Results have been hugely successful and we've taken on more than 80 youngsters so far. But we mustn't rest on our laurels. We initially targeted young people not in education, employment or training, but that has been extended to include all ages and backgrounds and has spread to other areas of our business including smart metering, HR, and IT. It's a key part of our recruitment strategy as we commit to a further 100 apprenticeships over the next year. More must be done to ignite interest in STEM subjects because this is where the skills challenge will be won or lost. Our educational pro- grammes stimulate an interest in science and engineer- ing among 5-16-year-olds and encourage them to think about future careers from an early age – and if that's a career in the energy industry, that's a bonus for us. We're not going to succeed on our own. Only a sector- wide approach will deliver the necessary benefits to the economy and society. The Industrial Partnership for energy and utilities, led by employers and chaired by our chief executive, Tony Cocker, will continue its role in helping to meet the sector's growing needs. Working in collaboration with Energy & Utility Skills Group, the Industrial Partnership facilitates investment, best prac- tice and a commitment to opportunities that will attract and develop the people needed to deliver infrastructure improvements to drive productivity and growth. At Eon we'll continue to help each other be at our best and, as an industry, we must remain committed to bringing new energy and new ideas to training and recruitment, working to improve lives and creating a better tomorrow for our customers, our people and the wider economy. Dave Newborough, UK HR director, Eon "A one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment won't work. We need to develop new ways to attract, train and keep people." More must be done to ignite interest in STEM subjects because this is where the skills challenge will be won or lost Operations & Assets