Dr Nicholas Moiseiwitsch Head of Engineering Policy The IEE

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Dr Nicholas MoiseiwitschHead of Engineering
PolicyThe IEE
The Power Academy
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Business Challenge Facing the Power Sector

• Past
• Aggressive cost focus post privatisation
• Radical change to deliver 50 reduction in
  network charges and improved performance
• 60 reduction in employees across the sector
• Very limited recruitment in technical skills
  areas

• Future
• Focus on exploiting best practice operations and
  efficient delivery of investment
• 5.7bn over next five years and to continue
  beyond
• 50 increase in investment across the sector

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Typical Company HR Strategy

• Engineers
• HNC trainees
• Graduates/IEE Power Academy
• Trained Engineers
• Technicians
• Career progression for Craftsmen
• Increased project management/senior authorised
  skills
• Craftsmen/Assistants
• Apprentices (14 and 16)
• Re-train adults (ex-service/Ambition
  Energy/young offenders/company
• re-trainees)

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The Power Academy In June 2004, the IEE, nine UK
Power networking and research companies, the
Universities of Manchester, Southampton and
Strathclyde, and Energy Utility Skills, formed
the Power Academy in response to the ever
decreasing number of qualified Power Engineers in
the UK.
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Aims The Academy aims to attract more students to
Power Engineering courses with a mix of financial
incentives, technical training and business
education. The Academy will promote the
opportunities to be gained from a career in the
power industry. In the first year, approximately
50 scholarships have been offered.
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Power Academy Partners

• Energy Utility Skills
• University of Strathclyde
• University of Southampton
• University of Manchester

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Power Academy Partners

• Central Networks
• Scottish Power
• EDF Energy
• National Grid Transco
• Western Power Distribution

• The IEE
• SSE
• EA Technology
• United Utilities
• CE Electric

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New Power Academy Partners in 2005

• ABB
• Atkins Power
• Jersey Electricity
• PB Power
• Siemens
• VA Tech
• Viridian and Queens, Belfast

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Power Academy Fundamentals

• MOU signed by all Partners
• Common Scholarship Package
• Agreed Selection Process
• Web site Portal Communication
• Marketing and Branding
• Governance

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• Package
• A bursary of 2,000 pa
• Book allowance
• Payment of University fees
• An annual seminar
• A minimum of eight weeks paid vacation training
  experience
• University Mentor
• Portal Website
• Free IEE Student Membership for duration of
  degree course
• Promising Career

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Student Selection Process

• Selection of scholars June December
• Existing students October
• New students November
• Methodology varied
• Mini assessment centre
• Campus Interview
• Second interview at the company

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How We Work with Partners

• Executive Committee
• Practitioners Group
• Marketing Group
• Finance Committee
• Council

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Future Issues

• The size and quality of the initial recruitment
  pond
• Increasing the future number of students
• Bringing in new universities
• Assessing the interest of key contracting
  companies in
• the Academy concept

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Suggested Discussion Areas

• Partnerships with Universities how far can we
  go?
• Is this initiative purely because of the market
  demand for types of graduates?
• How effective is student sponsorship?
• Will this initiative increase the number of
  power engineering graduates?
• How large should the Academy become?
• Is the model attractive to other industries?
• How will we be able to assess its success?
• Bringing asset owners together with suppliers
  and contractors is that a good idea?

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Further Information Go to www.iee.org/poweracadem
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