While Andy Burnham announced in July that his government plans to introduce technical education routes for students from ages 14 in England, Sam Cook has been leading RWE’s skills delivery in the East of England for several years now.
Sam is skills liaison officer for RWE’s Vanguard West, East and Boreas offshore wind farms.
Recently, in collaboration with East Norfolk Sixth Form College, she successfully closed out RWE’s German and Offshore Wind Enhancement Programme – an initiative that looks to generate burgeoning interest in pursuing a career in the industry among students aged 16-18, particularly those from non-traditional STEM pathways.
“The net zero transition requires a wide range of skill types, from technical and communications to data analysis, legal and beyond, to support the UK’s clean power targets,” Sam said.
“Engineering is, of course, at the forefront of this, but the extent of careers required for this transition is truly all encompassing.”
The first iteration of this 14-week programme welcomed 10 college students, all of whom had an interest in pursuing a wide range of careers in the renewable energy sector.
Participants spent a total of six sessions learning about the offshore wind sector, with a particular focus on RWE’s operations, technology and careers.
Throughout the programme, students worked in pairs to encourage collaboration, peer support and active engagement.
“This approach led several participants to grow in confidence and think in more detail about their careers in the offshore wind industry,” explained Sam.
To round off the programme, students visited RWE’s head office in Essen, Germany.
Here, they were given a first-hand look at the day-to-day life of RWE employees and what it’s like to work in the offshore wind sector, this time through an international perspective.
They also put their presentation skills to the test by delivering an activity to 100 local high school students (some of it in German).
Looking ahead, the programme has already opened doors for participants.
For Libby Jones, who was studying Level 3 BTEC in core maths, engineering and business studies, the experience led her to secure a place in RWE’s apprenticeship scheme, which kicked off this month.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity of the work experience in Germany with RWE,” Libby said.
“This trip was so valuable in helping me achieve my dream apprenticeship. The sessions with Sam and her help in preparing me for both the work in Germany and interviews for the apprenticeship were extremely beneficial.
“I am very grateful for all the support I’ve had from everyone.”
Projects like Vanguard West, East and Boreas will be hosting jobs in the region for at least the next 40 years.
And as the industry continues to grow, programmes like these are more essential than ever to engage young people in the sector – because the students it engages with now are the workforce of the future.
For more information, visit norfolkzone.rwe.com
This story is also published in Insight Energy magazine, covering the latest news from the UK's energy sector. Read the latest edition here.
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