With solar panels being a feature on one in every 25 buildings in the UK, the country is realising the importance of solar power as a pathway to achieving net zero carbon emissions. Solar power is the conversion of energy from the sun into electricity, usually via solar panels containing photovoltaic systems. Areas of land containing a large number of solar panels are referred to as solar farms.

The UK’s Largest Solar Farms

Regardless of the UK’s seasonal variation in climate, solar still generates a substantial volume of clean energy. Much of this comes from some of the country’s largest operational solar projects.

Llanwern Solar Farm and Battery Storage

Located in Wales and operated by NextEnergy Capital LLP, the site has been operational since 2012 and has an installed capacity of 75MW.

West Raynham

Situated in North Norfolk, Bluefield Solar operates this 49.9MW capacity farm. It has been operational since 2015.

Snarlton Farm (Melksham Solar Farm)

With an installed capacity of 49.6MW, the farm is operated by Foresight. Located in Wiltshire, the farm has been operational since 2016.

Eveley Farm

This Hampshire based farm is operated by PS Renewables. With an installed capacity of 49MW, it has been operational since 2016.

Future Projects

Currently under construction in the UK are three large solar farms all with an installed capacity of just under 50MW.

Ryyd y Groes, located in mid Wales with an expected completion date of December 2022.

Paytherden Solar Farm, situated in East Devon with an expected completion date of January 2023.

Larks Green Solar Farm, located in South Gloucestershire has an expected completion date of June 2026.

Our recent news article on The latest in UK Solar Energy News describes how solar energy has exploded in popularity.

Visuna can offer solutions in renewable energy recruitment for large and small scale solar projects. Contact one of our specialists for more information.

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Hydro power describes the use of falling or fast flowing water to generate electricity. Some of the biggest hydro projects in the UK are located in Scotland. This form of renewable energy can be stored for use at times of peak consumption and then used again. Therefore, harnessing hydro power could be instrumental in meeting clean energy targets.

According to the Institute of Civil Engineers, hydroelectric generation began in Scotland in the early 20^th century and the country now has 85% of the UK’s hydroelectric energy resource. Around 12% of Scotland’s total electricity now comes from hydroelectric generation.

Three of Scotland’s Biggest Hydro Projects

Hydro is a well-established sector and taps into some of Scotland’s most abundant natural resources. The topography of the land in Scotland lends itself to successful hydro schemes. Plus, the relatively high levels of annual rainfall in the region, add to the effectiveness of hydro schemes in Scotland.

Glendoe Hydro Scheme

In terms of installed capacity, the largest of Scotland’s hydro projects is the Glendoe Hydro Scheme. Located near Fort Augustus, above Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland, the operation is run by SSE.

Operational since 2008, the scheme can generate up to 100MW. The drop of 600m from the reservoir to the turbine, is the highest of any in the United Kingdom. Consequently, creating an ideal environment for high levels of electricity production.

Lochaber Hydro Scheme

One of Scotland’s oldest, still operational hydro projects, Lochaber has been in use since January 1929. With an installed capacity of 65MW, the scheme is operated by GFG Alliance.

Designed to provide energy for the production of aluminum, the Lochaber scheme is located in the western Scottish Highlands.

Great Glen Hydro Scheme

Running for more than 100km from Inverness to Fort William, the SSE scheme follows a geological fault line that divides north and south Scotland.

Consisting of five major dams and six power stations, the project has been operational since 1957 and has an installed capacity of 36MW.

Studies have shown that there is still untapped potential in Scotland’s bodies of water. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for the sector.

Visuna’s specialists can offer support with renewable energy recruitment, wherever in the world your project is located. Contact us today to find out more.

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It can be said that the recent challenging time Australian energy has faced, has accelerated conversations about Australia’s energy transition journey.

During 2022, the combination of high electricity demand, mixed with unfortunate timing of power downtime and high energy prices, led to questions being raised over the future of energy for the nation.

Australia’s Energy Transition Goals

Australia’s aim is to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050, with the aim of ensuring stable and affordable supplies. This means a shift from a traditionally coal-dominant system to a renewable model based on wind and solar. Plus the large scale storage facilities to support this system. In the last 10 years, three large coal fired power stations have been retired. The expectation is that a total of 63% will be retired by 2040.

To demonstrate the country’s commitment to the net zero goal, Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese agreed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s intention to reduce emissions by 43% more than 2005 levels by 2030.

A Key Milestone in the Journey

According to the Clean Energy Australia Report, a significant milestone was reached in 2020, with more than a quarter of the country’s total electricity generation coming from renewable sources for the first time. The publication describes how during 2020, wind and rooftop solar set new records, battery storage came of age and the hydrogen sector continued to develop rapidly.

Furthermore, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that renewable energy was responsible for 33.4% of total generation in the 2021-2022 financial year. Compare this to 2016-2017’s figure of less than half of this, at just 16%, and you can see how far Australia has come in its clean energy journey.

Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan

Queensland is set to benefit following the announcement of a $62 billion clean energy investment. This 10 year plan will significantly change Queensland’s energy mix. Therefore, the state’s renewable energy target has increased to 70% by 2032 and then 80% by 2035.

Integral to the strategy are two new pumped hydro projects. One of which will be the largest pumped hydro scheme in the world. Set to supply enough renewable energy to cover half of Queensland’s needs, leaders hope this will make the region the renewable energy capital of the world. The vision of the plan is to supply clean, reliable and affordable energy providing power for generations. This will mean no regular reliance on coal-fired generation by 2035. Existing coal-fired power stations will be gradually repurposed into clean energy hubs, with a Job Security Guarantee for workers.

The Queensland Energy and Jobs plan also covers work on a new super grid. This will be made up of thousands of components, including solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and transmission lines. Consequently, it is expected that 100,000 new jobs will be created by 2040. This includes direct jobs in construction, manufacturing and ongoing operations, plus indirect jobs in supporting services. Two new training hubs in regional Queensland will ensure apprentices are skilled in the required areas.

The Rewiring the Nation Plan

The  Rewiring the Nation plan demonstrates government commitment to transforming Australia’s energy sector. This agreement will fast-track Renewable Energy Zones and offshore wind development. Accordingly, creating new energy jobs across Victoria and unlocking cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy.

The plan acknowledges that the inefficiency of Australia’s current electricity transmission system is a blocker to cheaper, cleaner energy. Therefore, a $20 billion investment to rebuild and modernise Australia’s grid is on the cards.

$75 million will be used to jointly fund the Marinus Link Project with the Tasmanian Government. This will see more than 255km of undersea transmission cable delivering renewable energy generation and storage, enabling the mainland to benefit from Tasmania’s abundant natural resources.

Hydro Energy

It would be difficult to talk about large scale Australian renewable projects and not mention Snowy Hydro. Combining solar and wind energy with on-demand hydro electricity, the scheme provides one third of renewable energy to the national electricity market. The project has recently completed excavation of its first tunnel for Snowy 2.0. This program will link the Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs to enable water to be released for energy generation at times of peak demand and then pumped back into storage ready to use later.

Solar Energy

Solar accounted for 9.9% of Australia’s total electrical energy production in 2020. Worldwide, solar panels are created using technology that originated in Australia. Therefore, it can be argued that renewable energy technology is embedded in the country’s legacy.

Western Australia has recognised the solar, in addition to wind, potential of a particular greenfield location. Around 435km north of Perth, the Oakajee site will be home to the Mid West Hydrogen Hub. Government investment of $5.5million is planned to fast-track its development for the production of renewable hydrogen.

Recent Developments

Investment into Australian renewable projects shows no signs of slowing. The country is seeing some of its biggest oil giants diversifying into clean energy.  They’re spending millions on developing and operating wind, solar and battery storage projects. With the government incentives on offer, it’s likely we’ll see more companies following suit.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that since 2017 there has been an increase in the level of investment in renewable generation and storage technology. In the 2016-17 financial year, the value of work done on renewable projects was $865.9m compared to $5.51b in 2021-22.

It appears that the momentum in renewable energy development will continue. This benefits Australia with a cheaper, cleaner and more reliable electricity system. Not only that, the country benefits from a growth in jobs across the clean energy sector, with the industry employing more than 25,000 Australians in 2020.

Our Brisbane office is on hand to discuss the workforce requirements your business needs to ensure a smooth journey through the energy transition.

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From data scientists to machine learning engineers, business intelligence analysts, logistics analysts, data architects, business systems analysts and marketing analysts, the list of data analysis jobs appears endless.

Data analysis refers to the process of inspecting, cleaning and modelling data to reveal useful trends and information. As we move towards Big Data, this process becomes more challenging and requires additional skills from individuals.

Trends in Data Analysis Jobs

Data drives business strategy in a range of ways. Therefore, data analytics job roles have been well paid and in demand for some time now. As more and more organisations adopt data-driven models for their decision making, the data analytics industry grows further.

Indeed, a report from the UK Government reveals that data scientist vacancies have seen an average increase in advertised salary of 31% over the past two years. Similarly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a strong growth for data science jobs and predicts that the data science field will grow by around 28% by 2026.

UK Demand for Skills and Education

As technology improves and develops, companies are able to increase the complexity and sophistication of their data operations. This means new skillsets, so educational institutes must keep up and ensure the curriculum offered bridges any knowledge gaps.

According to the UK Government Quantifying the UK Data Skills Gap Report, companies are experiencing difficulty in finding employees with the required data skills. This means, an urgent need to intensify efforts to boost the number of skilled workers. The report reveals that of 1,045  businesses surveyed, almost half (48%) were recruiting for roles that required hard data skills. Additionally, 46% have struggled to recruit for these roles in the last two years. Feedback was that the supply of graduates with specialist data skills from universities is limited.

More Than Simply Numbers

It used to be enough to clean and analyse data. Increasingly, we are seeing a demand for data professionals to communicate their findings in a way that tells a story. This means presenting their findings in an easy to understand format, showcasing how this relates to business objectives.

The No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills report published by the UK Government describes data visualisation as the ability to communicate complex data sets in compelling charts, graphs, infographics and dashboards. The report predicts the demand for data visualisation will grow by 68% in the next five years.

By communicating the story that the numbers tell, individuals can further demonstrate the value that they bring to the business. Consequently, this will help them command a higher salary.

Visuna can support your workforce requirements across the data analysis sector and beyond. Speak to our expert recruitment team today to find out more.

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From solar panels to wind turbines, and everything in between, clean energy is an innovative and exciting sector providing a diverse range of renewable energy jobs. The industry provides a fast growing variety of career paths for people all over the world.

Renewable energy, or energy from sources that are naturally replenished, is becoming increasingly important. It is key to building reliable and affordable power systems for the future and to meet international targets for reducing carbon emissions. Government and private funding of renewable energy projects is increasing, plus many people are choosing to lead environmentally responsible lives. Accordingly, this all has a positive impact on jobs in the clean energy sector.

Renewable Energy Jobs Worldwide

According to a report by the International Energy Agency, the number of energy jobs worldwide has risen above pre-pandemic levels and this growth has been driven by increased hiring in clean energy sectors. What’s more, the report reveals how clean energy now passed the 50% mark for its share in total energy employment. Plus, nearly two thirds of workers are involved in the building of new projects for, and the manufacturing of, clean energy technology. As part of the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 plan, 14 million new clean energy jobs will be created by 2030. Additionally, 16 million workers would move to new roles related to clean energy.

The International Renewable Energy Agency’s Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review 2022 provides the latest estimates of renewable energy employment globally. The report recorded over 12 million renewable energy jobs worldwide in 2021. Close to two thirds of all jobs were in Asia and China alone and solar was the fastest growing industry. Jobs in this sector accounted for more than a third of the renewable energy workforce.

In our Wind Energy Jobs Global Outlook article, we wrote that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports wind service turbine technician as being projected to be one of the fastest growing professions over the next 10 years.

These figures all indicate positive growth in a thriving sector with a diverse range of career opportunities.

Green Jobs

Renewable energy employment falls into the category of  ‘green jobs’. There are multiple definitions of green jobs, consequently this can sometimes be a complex area.

There are two main definitions available internationally. Firstly, there is one from the United Nations System of Environmental Economic Accounting. Secondly, one from the International Labour Organization. The former suggests a green job is “areas of the economy engaged in producing goods and services for environmental protection purposes, as well as those engaged in conserving and maintaining natural resources.” This is the definition that the Office for National Statistics produces its UK employment estimates based on.

The International Labour Organization’s definition is slightly broader and also states that green jobs must be ‘decent’. Adding this dimension of quality does make the task of quantifying figures trickier. However, all employers should be striving to ensure any job is ‘decent’. This means adequate pay, safe working conditions, job security and workers rights. Subsequently attracting the best candidates, so companies can power forward together in the energy transition.

Visuna’s dedicated team of experts can support you with people solutions for your business, and mobilise them worldwide.

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Jobs and employment have been through an unprecedented amount of change over the last few years, and tech jobs are no exception.

An Expanding Workforce

A fast paced and ever-changing economic and political landscape has forced organisations to become more proactive in relation to their technological advances. This has seen companies in sectors that are not traditionally tech-heavy recognise the benefits that investing in technology can bring, therefore, increasing their IT workforce. With evolutions in e-commerce, to the digitisation of business and progress in adoption of technology, IT professionals have become some of the most sought after members of the workforce.

According to a Deloitte article, in 2020, the tech workforce was at 5.5 million. This is growing at an annual rate of 2.2% since 2001. The article notes that even during the pandemic, the tech workforce continued to expand (by 0.7% in 2020). During this time, employment for all other occupations combined fell by 5.5%.

Trends in Tech Job Roles

The information technology industry is made up of various fields related to computers and digital information. Some job roles in this sector, such as engineers and programmers are fairly well established, having been around for some time. However, others, such as, information specialists and data scientists are much newer but are growing in importance due to our increasing reliance on, and interest in, data.

The UK Government reports that software developers were the most in demand tech job across the UK in 2021. These positions made up 9% of all tech jobs.

Tech Jobs in the UK

Tech Nation recently reported that tech roles now make up 14% of all job opportunities in the UK, up from 11% in 2019.

Furthermore, a report from the UK Government details how 2021 was an incredible year for the tech industry. There was a 50% rise in UK tech job vacancies advertised compared to prior year. November 2021 saw 160,887 advertised tech vacancies. Tech vacancies made up 12% of all available roles in the UK.

In terms of geographical spread, the same report reveals Cambridge as the leading regional tech city in the UK, followed closed by Manchester.

Additionally, it’s not just England. All regions are seeing an impact, with the Government documenting how Scotland’s tech sector is also booming. Tech roles increased by over 25% in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2021. In this period, 30% of available vacancies in Edinburgh were in the tech sector. This was the highest of any UK city.

Benefits and Ways of Working

As we’ve seen, recruiting in the tech sector is on the rise. This means that companies will need to go above and beyond to persuade new talent to work with them, and to retain their existing talent. Tech sector candidates know their worth, so expect to be rewarded accordingly.

There have been global increases in tech salaries over the past few years. Plus, some companies offer additional perks to top talent, such as, bonuses, unlimited annual leave and other special benefits.

Probably the most notable benefit in the tech sector is ways of working. Many businesses offer remote or hybrid working arrangements for tech jobs. Plus, a variety of short and long term contracts, project work and one off commissions. Indeed, IT jobs are well positioned to be carried out remotely. This brings the added advantage to hiring organisations that they can search globally and find the right talent, regardless of location.

Looking Ahead

As reliance on technology increases even further, and as digital progress advances, skills in the workforce will need to adapt accordingly. This means additional focus from education providers across STEM subjects. In addition, habits of life-long learning should be encouraged in order to meet the demands of such a fast moving sector.

At Visuna, we understand that in this growing and dynamic industry you need highly skilled IT professionals to support your business. Our dedicated recruitment team provide world-class people solutions across the tech sector.

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This clean, abundant and inexhaustible form of energy brings employment opportunities across a range of disciplines. Wind energy jobs span design, production, infrastructure, operations, maintenance and much more.

The International Renewable Energy Agency reported that global employment within the wind energy sector was estimated to be over 1.2 million in 2020. Following this was a record year for offshore wind. The US Department for Energy reporting a total of  17,398 MW of new capacity additions worldwide in 2021.

The Global Wind Energy Council Wind Report 2022 describes how new global ambitions in renewable energy means there could be additional record-breaking years from 2025 onwards. Furthermore,  GWEC Market Intelligence has raised its predictions for 2030 by 16.7%. This is equivalent to an additional 45GW of capacity.

Additionally, the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector document reports that 90% of electricity generated globally will come from renewable sources in 2050. Solar and wind will be responsible for 70% of this, suggesting a positive impact on jobs in the sector.

Employment in the USA Wind Sector

2021 saw $20 billion of investment into the wind sector. The US Energy Information Administration expects to see another 7GW of wind capacity to come online in the last six months of 2022 alone.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, wind service turbine technician is projected to be one of the fastest growing professions over the next 10 years. Indeed, the US Department for Energy details that country’s wind sector employs more than 100,000 workers. Plus, there is the potential for more than 600,000 wind energy jobs in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and supporting services by 2050.

Wind Energy Jobs in the UK

The UK has a legally binding net zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050. This means the growth of renewable sources has never been more important. Wind power is one of the largest sources of renewable energy in the UK. Plus, the Government expects to see continued growth in this sector.

The Office for National Statistics reports that electricity generation from wind power in the UK increased by 715% from 2009 to 2020. Consequently, jobs in offshore wind in the UK have increased significantly since 2015. There were 7,200 full-time equivalent (FTE) people employed in the sector in 2019. Onshore wind employment has remained stable over the same period, with 4,400 employees in 2019.

Wind Industry Development in Australia

We recently documented how Australia’s proposed development of six offshore wind energy zones had been given the go ahead by the country’s federal Government. The first being off the Gippsland coast, in Victoria’s south-east. Then off the coast of the Hunter Valley and Illawarra in New South Wales. In addition to Portland in Victoria, Northern Tasmania, Perth and Bunbury in Western Australia. These developments in Australia are said to be creating 2,000 construction jobs and 200 ongoing operator roles. Australia has some of the best wind resources in the world. These developments will bring the country up to date with global progress in the sector.

Emerging Wind Markets

Within their India Wind Energy Outlook 2026, the Global Wind Energy Council suggests that wind energy is crucial to India’s green energy transition. Over the next five years, with the necessary support, the country could add an additional 23.7GW of capacity.

Looking at the Global Wind Energy Council’s Global Offshore Wind Report 2022, we can see that China make up 80% of the offshore wind capacity that was added globally in 2021. Furthermore,  Asia is likely to be home to the world’s largest offshore market by the end of 2022.

In terms of new onshore installations, the Global Wind Energy Council reports Africa and the Middle East as having record years in 2021.

These figures all suggest positive attitudes towards wind power globally. This highlights the need for a skilled renewables workforce worldwide.

There are more counties yet to develop wind power strategies, demonstrating the huge potential for jobs in the wind sector.

Visuna’s has a wide global network of niche talent in energy and tech. That means we can supply your project with people solutions wherever you need them. This includes both onshore and offshore wind projects.

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Despite it being a colourless, invisible gas, the myriad of hydrogen colours attributed to its different forms can be somewhat confusing.

Indeed, the Innovation Insights Briefing on hydrogen produced by the World Energy Council describes how confusion over hydrogen colours is stifling innovation and calls for further dialogue to look beyond colour and to instead explore carbon equivalence.

Even though there’s no visible difference between them, the colourful terms relate to the type of production method used and how clean it is.

Green

The only type of hydrogen produced in a climate-neutral fashion, green hydrogen is produced using clean electricity from surplus renewable sources, for example solar or wind power, to electrolyse water.

Since green hydrogen production is expensive, it makes up a fairly small percentage of overall hydrogen production. However, it is expected that it will reduce in price as it becomes more mainstream.

Blue

Produced primarily from natural gas, blue hydrogen is generated using a process known as steam reforming. The carbon created is trapped through carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Sometimes referred to as carbon neutral, this method means emissions are not dispersed into the atmosphere. However, as described by the World Economic Forum, it may be argued that low carbon would be more accurate. This is because 10-20% of the generated carbon cannot be captured.

Grey

The most common form of hydrogen, the grey variety, is also produced from natural gas through steam reforming. However, in this process, the excess carbon is not captured.

Black/Brown

The oldest method of producing hydrogen and unfortunately the most harmful to the environment. It is created by transforming coal into gas, without capturing the CO2 or the carbon monoxide emitted. This gasification is achieved at a very high temperature with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam. When bituminous coal is used it’s referred to as black hydrogen. If lignite coal is used it’s referred to as brown hydrogen.

Turquoise

This is a relatively new addition to the kaleidoscope of hydrogen colours. It uses a process called methane pyrolysis to generate hydrogen and solid carbon as a by-product from natural gas.

Turquoise hydrogen is categorised as low carbon depending on whether the thermal process is powered by renewable energy and whether the carbon is permanently stored or used.

Pink

Similar to green hydrogen in that it is obtained through the electrolysis of water. However, pink hydrogen is powered by nuclear energy rather than renewable sources.

Yellow

Again, created through the electrolysis of water but yellow hydrogen is produced using solar power.

You may also see yellow hydrogen referred to as hydrogen generated through electrolysis of water powered by a mix of energy sources, depending on availability.

White

A naturally occurring hydrogen found in underground deposits and released via fracking. Very rare in its pure form, it is not widely considered as a viable emission-free fuel source to be exploited at present.

The Future of Hydrogen Colours

The National Grid website explains how, although as time goes on the importance of each hydrogen colour will fluctuate, hydrogen overall will certainly play a significant role in our journey to net zero.

In a recent Visuna news article, we look ahead to what the future holds for jobs in the hydrogen sector.

At Visuna, we are dedicated to supporting organisations involved in the development of clean hydrogen production by connecting the best talent to the right opportunities.

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Getting girls interested in Science Technology Engineering and Maths from an early age will help to bridge global skills gaps across our key sectors and improve gender diversity in energy and tech sectors.

Traditionally, the energy and technology sectors are seen as male dominated industries. However, at Visuna, we’re keen to be part of global efforts to make both sectors more appealing to women.

Despite our position as recruitment specialists in sectors traditionally dominated by male workforces, at Visuna, 75% of our workforce are women – and all staff within the company want to see more women doing well in energy and tech all over the world.

Our company has a particular focus on creating an environment where all our staff are supported in terms of the care and respect they are shown and promoting a positive work life balance, with hybrid working and flexible start times.

But these values are not just important to our female colleagues and potential candidates for the roles we are recruiting for. We believe in providing and promoting equal opportunities for all staff to benefit from flexible working.

Improving Gender Diversity in Energy and Tech

At Visuna, we want to work with other forward-thinking organisations who recognise that gender roles and responsibilities outside of people’s working lives are changing and a more flexible approach to work is required across the board.

We’re also keen to work with global energy and tech sector clients who demonstrate the valued roles of women within their organisations, promoting female mentors and role models within energy and tech to encourage the next generation of women within the sectors.

Industry Statistics

A report published by UKTN, the home of UK Tech, highlights that efforts are being made to “close the gender gap” in tech in the UK.

There are certainly plenty of opportunities for women in technology, with the government-funded growth network Tech Nation reporting nearly three million people, or 9% of the UK workforce, were employed in the UK tech industry in January 2022.

However, at this time, just 26% of those in the tech workforce were women compared to 50% in the labour market as a whole.

An insightful article on the engie.com website, featuring Catherine MacGregor, CEO of ENGIE, outlines the belief that the success of the energy transition depends on greater diversity in the whole sector.

Engie is committed to achieving this at every level within its own workforce.

The article explores how the energy sector lacks diversity, with just 27.2% women in electricity and gas industries in France.

As the article explains, this is largely down to the fact that fewer women choose to study scientific and technical disciplines that provide training for the key energy professions.

Thankfully, there are efforts to encourage more women and girls to study for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which should lead to an increase in women working in the technology and energy sectors in the future.

Education and Engagement

Mentoring programmes are being developed as part of ongoing efforts to develop what UKTN describes as a “diverse talent pipeline” and the education sector is focused on promoting STEM subjects to girls from an early age.

In the North East of England, where Visuna’s head office is based, the University of Sunderland reported an increase in the number of girls studying STEM subjects and outlined its commitment to further accelerating this trend in 2019.

The University recognised this was vital to plugging a skills shortage of an estimated 173,000 workers in STEM-based careers which was costing UK employers £1.5bn a year according to stem.org.uk.

We’re proud to be working in a region where there is a demonstrable commitment to getting more women and girls into STEM and thankfully, things are moving in the right direction.

Women in Energy and Tech

To coincide with International Women in Engineering Day in June this year, the stem.org.uk website reported that as of June 2021, figures showed that 16.5% of engineers are women – a 25.7% increase over the course of five years.

However, the iea.org website discusses how women make up only 13.9% of senior management within the energy and energy utilities composite, which is marginally lower than in the sample from non-energy industries at 15.5%.

Among the energy business lines, women in senior roles are better represented in the utilities sector at 17.1%, with electric utilities and independent power plants at the low end at 16.5%, followed by natural gas utilities at 18%. Multiline utilities are at the higher end of the distribution at 20.3%.

Excluding utilities, representation for all other energy-related business lines is far lower at an average 12.1%.

However, there are some positives according to the iea.org website, which states efforts to improve gender diversity are “moving apace”.

The Automation Federation says that getting more women into STEM careers, such as the vacancies that exist in the tech and energy sectors, will require a partnership among parents, educational institutions, governments, industry, and organisations.

As a recruitment specialist in the energy and tech sectors, we remain committed to keeping conversations about gender diversity within these sectors well and truly open.

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