In the fast-moving world of low-carbon energy this means we must be agile. In part, this means recruiting talented graduates whose education has focussed on low-carbon technologies such as offshore wind and battery storage. This is something we have been successful in doing at WSP, but it’s made harder because, in my view, there still isn’t enough focus in education on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a society, we have a generation of young people who are keen to tackle climate change and we must help them gain skills they can use to make a difference.
Agility, though, isn’t just about recruiting people who already have the skills we need; it’s also about enabling people already at WSP to grow and flourish. One way we do this is through our Professional Growth Network, which creates opportunities for early-career professionals to develop their capabilities and work towards professional goals.
Given the recent pace of change in technology, many in our industry are now routinely involved in projects with underlying technologies that were not commercially viable or indeed did not exist at the start of their careers. They need opportunities to hone their skills, and to apply experience they developed in fields such as conventional generation to emerging areas.
It’s a time of immense change in the energy sector. The UK government is targeting 40GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. Hydrogen production is set to achieve a scale never previously imagined. And interconnectors offer the potential for the UK to export net zero energy. These major developments all have one thing in common: they need skilled designers and engineers.
By continually developing our skills across a range of low-carbon technologies, we are able to support our clients as they push towards net zero.
