Chamber’s recent future economy event in Hull brought together local leaders and politicians to discuss how Hull can grow and evolve their economy through the decarbonisation and sustainability agenda in years to come.
As part of the event, a ‘fireside chat’ was hosted by Corrine Barry, the East Coast’s Net Zero Director for RWE − a sustainable energy company that is located in the Humber region but works on a range of sustainable development projects, including battery storage, around the globe. The fireside chat focused on levelling up and skills development in Hull, with panellists providing valuable insights.
The fireside chat included the Labour Parliamentary candidate for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes and the Strategic Advisor for Humber Marine, Melanie Onn, and Chief Executive of Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Ruth Carver.
The Barriers to Levelling Up in Hull
Both Carver and Onn agreed that levelling up hadn’t occurred to a satisfactory level in the Humber region, with both women believing there is fantastic potential to be unlocked in the area. Speaking about the barriers to levelling up, Carver said,
“As part of my work with Greater Lincolnshire LEP, I’ve found that Humber and Lincolnshire are places that have been under-invested in, particularly in terms of energy infrastructure. Businesses are often saying to me that they can do their bit in terms of development, but they can’t do anything about large-scale infrastructure decisions.”
“By that, they don’t necessarily mean roads, but I think, they are referring to a long-talked-about pipeline in the region to capture hydrogen and capture carbon. This has been a consistent ask from energy companies in the area for some time now, so I think large-scale investment in terms of infrastructure is important.”
Developing Skills in the Region
For levelling up to work, individuals need to be upskilled; it’s an impossible dream without. A big part of that is keeping bright young talent in the region, something that has been historically difficult across all rural areas in the UK due to job shortages. Carver said,
“There is a very tight labour market across Lincolnshire and it’s about trying to inspire young people for the future while also training existing workforces. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough money at a national level that goes into retraining workforces and making them future proof.”
“We should be going into schools and inspiring future generations by running boots camps while also running 16-week retraining courses. Lots of effort needs to go in because businesses are saying that while the current skills gap is big, it’s only going to get bigger and more acute.”
The Importance of Transferable Skills
As technology continues to evolve in all fields, it’s imperative that workers can transfer their existing skills quickly to adapt to new ways of working, perhaps in a completely different field. Onn spoke about where she sees these transferable skills coming from in the energy sector,
“The Wind Industry Council produce a document every year that looks at the skills and jobs in the sector. If we could produce something similar for the entire energy sector across the region, we would be able to easily identify workers with the necessary transferable skills to adapt to our ever-changing energy needs.”
“For example, anyone with electrical and engineering backgrounds could work in substations, and people with more broad skills could work in project management or health and safety. Additionally, anyone who works with data and analytics could perhaps move into AI and robotics.”
“So, actually, a lot of what we need could be transferred in from other parts of the energy sector simply by transferring and importing skills.”
Strategic Advisor for Humber Marine, Melanie Onn
The Impact of Decarbonisation on Jobs
As part of decarbonisation plans across the UK, thousands of people are set to potentially lose their jobs. In Scunthorpe, more than 2,000 jobs are at risk, which poses the question, “What will happen to these people when/if they do lose their jobs?” Can they be re-skilled into the new energy sector? Onn believes the Government must act quickly to ensure this is possible, she stated, “As we start to see shifts in our energy production and move to cleaner methods, it will change the workforce, and making sure we have a fair transition for working people and communities is absolutely essential.”
“When it comes to Scunthorpe, the main concerns are around steel, and I don’t think we’ve really cracked exactly what we’re going to do with UK steel. We could move to electric arc furnaces, but I don’t think we have the capacity for what we currently produce, which is an issue.”
“Regardless, 2000 potential job losses are far from ideal and we’ve seen the impact of similar losses on other communities. So, the Government need to take action early and have a plan in place to ensure a smooth transition for these workers.”
Chamber’s Roundtable Event:
To watch the full video of the fireside chat at the Future Economy Seminar, please click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Chamber hosted a Chatham House Rule roundtable dinner with key stakeholders including the German Ambassador, Miguel Berger, Shadow Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience, Emma Hardy MP, Chief Executive of Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, Dr Ian Kelly, and Liberal Democrat Leader of Hull Council, Councillor Mike Ross. They shared insightful dialogue regarding the future for sustainability and decarbonisation. Exclusive outputs from this roundtable will be made available to Curia’s Industrial Strategy Research Group subscribers.
Curia’s Industrial Strategy Research Group
Alongside the Health, Care Life Sciences Research Group and Foreign Policy and Defence Research Group, Curia’s Industrial Strategy Research Group offers privileged access to events, such as this one, with previous and upcoming events for subscribers including a gala dinner with Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP, a reception with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP, and a jazz evening with Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Thangam Debbonaire MP, and Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, and Chi Onwurah MP. To find out more please email team@curiauk.com and visit our website here.