A diverse workforce is crucial to keep on the path to net zero

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February), Cordi O’Hara OBE, president of National Grid Ventures, discusses the gender imbalance in the energy sector, steps that can be taken to tackle this, and the importance of diverse mindsets in delivering net zero.

National Grid research shows the UK energy industry needs to create 400,000 green jobs by 2050 to deliver net zero. Yet, the sector is missing out on a full-strength gender balanced workforce, with women representing only 14.5% of the UK’s engineering workforce. Our findings also show that 83% of women want to help the UK reach its net zero target – and we know there’s a huge opportunity for them to do so within the energy sector.

Different ways of thinking 

At a time when we need to move faster towards a clean energy transition, it’s crucial the energy industry has the right mix of mindsets and perspectives to overcome the challenges in the years to come, and also leverage opportunities along the way. These could be opportunities and challenges emerging from decarbonising heat, transport and industry, to building huge amounts of additional offshore wind capacity.

Regardless, we’ll need to continue innovating to find the right solutions, and this won’t happen if the workforce is made up of individuals who all think the same, have the same backgrounds and who have the same experiences. Representing half of the global population, women have a key role to play by bringing different approaches to traditionally male dominated teams.

We need to find new ways of engaging young people

Generating an interest in STEM careers among young girls and women is an important part of tackling this gender imbalance. The pipeline issue doesn’t start at recruitment, but at school through to university. We are losing young women at every stage beyond GCSEs; they make up just 22% of A level physics students, 8% of STEM apprentices and 15% of engineering and technology graduates.

Businesses must look beyond traditional methods of engaging with young people to help build a pipeline of talent. It’s not just about giving talks or holding workshops at schools, we also need to think about other ways to inspire young minds and interact with local communities. For example, running competitions to get children thinking about net zero solutions, facilitating visits to exciting projects that highlight the huge infrastructure being built to tackle climate change, or establishing education centres on net zero project sites that can help school children visualise engineering and the scale of work being done can all have a big impact.

The education centre at National Grid’s North Sea Link interconnector site in Blyth is just one example of how we can help children get interested and excited about the future of energy. The centre arranges local school visits which enable young children to learn about electricity interconnectors, how they work and why they are so important to the UK’s net zero ambitions.

Working with communities near key project sites can really help enhance how we reach young talent and encourage a broader interest in engineering and the energy sector.

Celebrating role models is key

Strong positive role models within the business can help inspire and empower employees and prospective talent. Proactively celebrating these individuals can demonstrate to people that, regardless of background or circumstances, they can succeed. Businesses can implement initiatives that increase the visibility of female role models both internally and externally, highlighting successful women further along their career journey. They can also help mentor junior colleagues, share advice and guidance for those considering the energy sector and provide a relatable figure to many women and girls.

There has been progress. But there is still more to do

Achieving net zero is no small task and building the workforce capable of delivering a greener future won’t happen overnight. There has been clear progress in recent years, but we need to take greater action now to encourage more girls and women to consider our incredible industry, highlight inspirational role models, and ensure the sector fosters a diverse and inclusive environment. This will be crucial to extending our reach to attract the diverse and passionate generation of young professionals we need to tackle climate change and succeed in the long-term.