Business
Oil and gas expert urges young people to join renewable energy revolution in Pembs
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A FORMER oil and gas professional is urging young people to consider a career in renewable energy, and take advantage of rapid growth in the sector as Wales heads towards net-zero by 2050.
Naomi Bowen worked in oil and gas in Pembrokeshire for over 14 years, and recently transitioned to the renewable energy sector to help in the fight against climate change. Now, she wants to encourage prospective school leavers to choose this industry to start their career journey.
The call to arms comes as part of a wider push by Pembrokeshire County Council, its schools, Pembrokeshire College and industry leaders. A number of projects are being delivered this year to inspire young people to consider career pathways in the sector, including the launch of a new film that showcases exciting opportunities in net-zero careers in Pembrokeshire.
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Recent research has shown that young people, Gen Z in particular, highly value environmental impact as a factor when looking for jobs. A recent survey from KMPG[1] found that one third of Gen Z workers said they wanted jobs aligned with their environmental values, and had even claimed to reject job offers because of a company’s poor green credentials.
Pembrokeshire already supplies a fifth of the UK’s energy needs, but demand for green energy is increasing with Wales, and the UK, looking to achieve net-zero by 2050.
There is a significant green energy skills gap associated with this transition, which is why professionals like Naomi want to highlight to prospective school leavers the opportunities available in the renewable energy industry.
Naomi was born and raised in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. Driven by the fight against climate change, she decided to transfer her skills and knowledge to the renewable energy sector after over a decade of working in fossil fuels, and now works as an assistant project manager at RWE looking after on-shore wind projects.
Speaking about the renewable energy sector in Pembrokeshire, Naomi said: “I don’t think young people are aware of all the different roles available within the sector, and the transferrable skills needed for many of the roles. Even though there is interest, they just aren’t aware of what is out there.
“There is so much variety and choice, especially for young women coming from STEM backgrounds, from tech and engineering to project management and design. Diversity within the renewables industry is getting better each year too, with more and more equality, it’s never felt more inclusive.
“There are so many career opportunities here. I would urge the next generation of workers to seriously consider the renewable energy industry in Pembrokeshire.”
Another industry professional who grew up in Pembrokeshire, Jack O’Shea, believes there is a great future outlook for young people joining the renewables sector from the county. Reflecting on his journey to securing his role as environment and sustainability assistant at the Port of Milford Haven, Jack said:
“Growing up, it wasn’t guaranteed that I would be able to forge a successful career in my home county, but it feels like times are changing. There’s never been a better time for young people to enter the sustainability space than now. With lots of new projects planned and underway, I hope opportunities continue to flourish for those entering the sector in Pembrokeshire, and across Wales.”
Steven Richards-Downes, director for education in Pembrokeshire, said: “A renewable energy revolution is kick starting in the county. We have a huge opportunity to become pioneers of renewable energies and trailblazers in technology, working alongside existing industries. Thousands of new careers are in the pipeline – from chemists, scientists and engineers to plumbers, pilots, project managers and everything in between. There has never been a better time to consider a career in renewable energy in Pembrokeshire.”
For more information on the current and future opportunities available in the renewable energy industry in Pembrokeshire, visit https://www.pembrokeshirecoastalforum.org.uk/future-energy-careers/.
Business
New directors are ‘leading the way’ at solicitors firm
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SOUTH-WALES based JCP Solicitors has recently appointed two new Directors, demonstrating the law firm’s commitment to developing future leaders. This double promotion names Lauren Protheroe in Medical Negligence and Ben Davies in Property Litigation as Directors at the award-winning business.
Starting her legal career at JCP Solicitors in 2014 on an Undergraduate Placement Scheme with Swansea University, Lauren Protheroe became one of the first candidates at JCP to be offered a training contract whilst only a 2nd year law student. Since then, Lauren’s career has gone from strength to strength, becoming a leading expert in Medical Negligence in the region, successfully concluding cases of surgical errors, delays in diagnosis, orthopaedic and ophthalmic injuries. Lauren also works with the team’s most experienced practitioners on multi-million-pound complex birth injury matters.
Ben Davies joined JCP Solicitors’ Property Litigation team in 2019 as an Associate Solicitor. Ben has since made his name supporting local and national clients with a broad range of complex property disputes and has substantial litigation experience, having assisted in securing numerous successful outcomes at trial for his clients. Ben is quickly establishing himself as the go-to professional in South Wales for providing legal advice to residential landlords, due to his expertise in dealing with residential possession proceedings under the new Renting Home (Wales) Act.
Hayley Davies, CEO at JCP Solicitors, said: “Lauren and Ben both exemplify our core values and client-focused approach. Both were named in the 2024 Legal 500 as key lawyers in their respective teams, further strengthening our offering in their specialist practice areas.
“All our promotions demonstrate our commitment to professional development and finding our business owners of tomorrow, as we strive to support our people to get the most out of their careers. I look forward to seeing the development of Lauren and Ben’s careers as they continue their professional journey at JCP.”
To find out more about JCP Solicitors, visit jcpsolicitors.co.uk.
Business
New state of the art Pembrokeshire creamery officially opens
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- Welsh milk sourced, processed, and bottled exclusively in Wales
PEMBROKESHIRE CREAMERY has officially launched its cutting-edge milk processing facility in Pembrokeshire, marking a significant milestone in its mission to bring ‘fully Welsh’ milk to Welsh consumers.
The creamery opened on Tuesday (Jul 2). It is the only BRCGS-accredited liquid milk facility in Wales, meaning it is the only facility able to supply major retailers in Wales with Welsh milk. By removing the need for Welsh milk to be transported to bottling plants in England, Pembrokeshire Creamery is reducing food miles, increasing supply chain efficiency, creating new skilled jobs, and supporting local farming communities.
Pembrokeshire Creamery, which has created around 80 new jobs, has the capacity to bottle more than a million litres of milk a week and has recently announced major deals to supply own-branded milk to Asda and Lidl stores across Wales. When the dairy reaches full capacity, it will be able to supply around 2 million litres of milk a week.
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The development of Pembrokeshire Creamery was initially supported by the Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council when they formed a joint venture to create the Pembrokeshire Food Park. This was instrumental as it created the plots and infrastructure required (drainage, water, and power) for Pembrokeshire Creamery to locate its new state-of-the-art dairy.
Subsequent Welsh Government support was awarded with £5 million grant funding through the Food Business Investment Scheme and an additional £1.4 million of grant funding from the Food Business Accelerator Scheme.
Funding support has also been provided by HSBC and to date, nearly £20 million has been invested in the site to process high-quality Welsh milk that is farmed, bottled, and sold in Wales.
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The company recently announced plans to support the development of a second milk processing line and automated trolley fillers, meeting the growing demand for locally sourced Welsh milk while ensuring the industry’s future sustainability.
Commenting on the opening, Mark McQuade, managing director of Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd said: “This has been a great opportunity to celebrate our early successes and all that means for the people that we’ve employed and the dairy farmers who we work with. We’re creating new markets with major retailers for authentic Welsh milk which in turn is helping us complete our mission to deliver sustainably sourced Welsh milk, bottled right here in Wales while offering a fair and transparent price to farmers.
“We are already committing to more investment and increasing our capacity – and we would like to thank all of the people locally, our staff and suppliers, who have supported us as we’ve built and opened our new state-of-the-art facility,” he said.
Huw Irranca-Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said: “I am delighted that the new Pembrokeshire Creamery has started processing Welsh milk for Lidl and Asda. This new facility, supported by Welsh Government Rural Development investment underlines the commitment of the Welsh Government to the dairy sector in Wales. This investment ensures that milk which previously had to be transported to England is now processed in Wales. As a result, Welsh consumers will now be able to buy Welsh milk, produced in Wales.
“This commitment is part of our vision for achieving growth and productivity improvement which benefits the workforce, people and society. It also supports the industry to reach high levels of sustainability, raising the Food and Drink industry’s reputation in Wales, the UK and overseas,” he said.
Led by an experienced team, Pembrokeshire Creamery emphasises fair pricing for farmers who tirelessly produce high-quality Welsh milk. Their commitment extends to paying a fair market-related price for dairy farmers, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, which is consistent with their aspiration to be at the forefront of the dairy industry.
At the heart of Pembrokeshire Creamery’s mission lies a commitment to sourcing 100% of its milk from Welsh cows, reducing food miles, and supporting local farming communities. Their ultimate goal is to be the leading supplier of Welsh milk.
Images Martin Cavaney/Pembrokeshire Creamery
Business
Jobs confidence in Wales pushing up pay expectations
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WORKERS across Wales are showing above-average confidence in their job prospects, with pay expectations set to increase as a result. That’s according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).
The data revealed that two-thirds (66%) of Welsh workers are confident in their job over the next six months, above the national average of 60%. This optimism is translating into heightened pay inflation expectations, with workers across the country indicating hopes of an average pay rise of 4.6% this year, above the national average of 3.8%.
Interestingly, though, fewer employees in Wales suggested that they would take some form of action – such as seeking a new role in their current business or changing employers – than the national average. Less than half (43%) of Welsh workers would take action if a salary increase wasn’t an option this year, compared to 68% of UK respondents overall.
James Fortnam, Market Director, Wales, Ireland & Scotland at Robert Half, commented: “Job confidence across Wales is clearly high and there are likely a number of reasons for this. Growing skills shortages coupled with the recent reports that the country has the highest rate of economic inactivity are no doubt leading to staff feeling optimistic about demand for their skills. While this has created an environment where pay rise expectations are higher than the national average, employers can be somewhat comforted by the fact that fewer people are likely to take direct action if they don’t receive the salary increase they are after. Of course, that doesn’t mean that businesses can ignore these high levels of confidence. Instead, it should be a catalyst for firms to consider their holistic employment packages and how elements such as tailored benefits packages or career progression programmes can act as more effective attraction tools.”
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