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The Topic: Workforce Planning WORKFORCE PLANNING THE TOPIC 10 | 4TH - 10TH AUGUST 2017 | UTILITY WEEK neers as teachers or coaches, and just keep- ing in contact with those who have stopped work are all ways in which utilities are striv- ing to ensure a giant hole is not created in the collective knowledge as industry veter- ans leave. But for these knowledge retention plans to work, there needs to be an influx of new starters into the sector – something that remains a perennial challenge for utilities. Engineering UK highlights that only 1-in- 20 A-level students study physics, and only 1-in-50 achieve an engineering degree. This has resulted in more than one-third (36 per cent) of employers in the utilities sector reporting challenges with hard-to-fill vacancies. This is above the national average of 23 per cent and higher than any other sec- tor in the UK. Compounding the problem is the fact that the UK job market is tighter than it has been since records began. The employment rate reached its highest ever level in March to May 2017 of 74.9 per cent. Office for National Statistics figures also show that the number of jobs in the water supply, sewerage and waste management sector has grown by 8.3 per cent and those in the power and gas sec- tor grew by 7.9 per cent. The introduction of the government's apprenticeship levy, which incentivises companies to take on and train apprentices, is striving to plug this gap, with the added bonus that new talent and fresh eyes will also boost the sector's ability to innovate. The final prong in the workforce planning challenge is retaining talent once it is in the sector, and reducing the predicted 90,000 that are set to leave for non-retirement purposes. Efforts are being made to improve the support available to employees, such as flex- ible working hours and tailored support, to try and keep them in the sector. Another core retention strategy is recog- nition – which is why Utility Week is proud to host its annual Stars Awards, putting the driven and determined individuals already in the industry in the spotlight and celebrating their work. Great strides are being made by respon- sible employers to address the many aspects of the skills puzzle, and increasingly com- panies are also acting collaboratively to develop solutions that serve the greater good of the sector – not only their own needs. It is imperative that this trend continue. Not only because it is core to the resilience and sustainability of the essential services utilities deliver to society and the economy, but also because of the sector's integral role in delivering government aspirations for national productivity and growth. The following pages showcase the tri- umphs of individuals, teams and com- panies in facing up to the utilities skills crisis, and rally support for the key remain- ing challenges. T he Utility Week Stars Awards offer the sector a chance to recognise col- leagues and peers who have gone above and beyond the norm to keep water and gas flow- ing and the lights on across the nation. This includes everyone, from new starters with promising careers ahead of them to veter- ans striving for perfection and trying to pass on their knowledge Stars Awards winners The Utility Week Stars Awards 2017 recognised the unsung heroes of utility companies – frontline staff. for future generations. In short, anyone making a significant dif- ference to their colleagues. Successful workforce plan- ning is about making the most of the human resources you have available, developing the skills they have got, and allowing employees to flourish. Here are a few of the winners from the 2017 Utility Week Stars Awards who demonstrate this, and much more. SUPERNOVA AWARD FOR LONG SERVICE Henry Moye, UK Power Networks For more than 50 years UKPN field engineer for network opera- tions Henry Moye has served 3.5million homes and businesses across the East of England, keeping the lights on with his colleagues. The 66-year-old joined what was then the Eastern Electricity Board as an apprentice fitter in 1966, and over his time in the industry has always been keen to further his knowledge and learn new skills as the sector and tech- nology has moved forward and evolved. He is qualified as a 'Senior Authorised Person' to work at voltage levels up to and includ- ing 33,000 volts. He primarily works on solving complex faults on the local electricity network, liaising with customers and deal- ing with any complaints. Over and above his usual duties, Henry trained to use spe- cialist test equipment, to locate high voltage and extra high volt- age cable faults, and also gained the necessary skills to authorise 'live line work'. When teams work on live power lines carrying up to 33,000 volts, it reduces the need for temporary power cuts, increases customer satisfaction levels and reduces the length of power cuts. Moye was also a safety coach for many years covering a third of the eastern network, where he excelled at training staff owing to his passion for adher- ence to safety rules. He carried out standby duties for 45 years and even though he is no longer on the planned standby rota, he always makes himself available to support his colleagues by cov- ering gaps and providing extra cover during storms. On top of this, Moye is also helping to develop the new gen- eration of engineers. He mentors and supports colleagues learn- ing new skills and improving existing ones and this benefits UKPN and the sector in provid- ing an environment that encour- ages personal development and keeps a tight focus on customer service. Utility Week deputy editor Jane Gray with Henry Moye and host Andrew Bird