The Energy & Utility Skills Partnership has appointed Sarah Harris, Head of Academy at Severn Trent, and Nicki Hussain, Director of Organisational Capability at SSE, as Co-Chairs of the EUSP Delivery Board.
They succeed John Tyler, UK Director of Technical Training at National Grid, who has chaired the Delivery Board through the development and delivery of the Partnership’s 2025 to 2030 Skills Strategy. The Partnership would like to thank John for the time he has dedicated and progress he has made throughout year one of the five-year programme.
The EUSP CEO Council brings together chief executives and senior leaders from across energy, water and waste to set the sector’s strategic direction on skills. The Delivery Board supports the Council by turning those priorities into coordinated and deliverable action.
Sarah and Nicki take on the roles as the Partnership enters the second year of the Skills Strategy. Priorities are now aligned across its four pillars of research, attract, develop and retain, with a growing focus on coordinated delivery, measurable outcomes and collaboration with employers, government and external partners.
Between them, Sarah and Nicki bring extensive experience in workforce capability, organisational development, talent, leadership and sector-wide skills collaboration.
Creating opportunities through skills
Sarah Harris is Head of Academy at Severn Trent, where she leads the organisation’s strategy for learning, leadership development, talent and workforce capability.
With more than 25 years’ experience across HR, learning and organisational development, Sarah has held senior roles spanning talent, leadership, employee engagement and people strategy. She also brings experience in workforce planning, capability development, organisational design and cross-sector partnership working.
On her appointment, Sarah said:
“My ambition as Co-Chair is to help shape a sector that is recognised not only for the essential services it provides, but for the opportunities it creates.
As the energy, water and waste industries evolve, we have a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation, broaden access to rewarding careers and equip people with the skills needed for a rapidly changing future.
I want the Delivery Board to help bridge critical skills gaps, create stronger and more inclusive talent pathways, and ensure our sector remains an attractive and rewarding place to build a career for generations to come.”
Turning shared priorities into measurable action
Nicki Hussain is Director of Organisational Capability at SSE, where she leads Group-wide strategy across organisational capability, leadership, talent, succession and inclusion.
Nicki has more than three decades of leadership experience across the UK and international energy and utilities sector. Her career includes leading the National Skills Academy for Power, shaping sector-wide skills strategies, working with government and industry to address workforce shortages, and holding a range of leadership roles at E.ON UK.
On her appointment, Nicki said:
“My ambition as Co-Chair is to help translate our shared skills strategy into tangible and measurable outcomes that strengthen workforce capability across energy, water and waste.
I am passionate about building practical, delivery-focused partnerships that move beyond discussion into action. By collaborating across member organisations, using evidence to guide decisions and sharing effective approaches, we can focus our collective effort on attracting, developing and retaining the talent and skills our sector needs.
I would like the Delivery Board to be recognised as a catalyst for addressing critical workforce challenges and helping secure a sustainable, resilient and future-ready workforce.”
Reflecting on his time as Chair of the Delivery Board, John Tyler, UK Director of Technical Training at National Grid, said:
“This is an exciting time as we enter Year Two of the Strategy. Over the last 12 months, we have strengthened our sector’s profile, enhanced our research and intelligence, partnered with government on social mobility programmes, broadened collaboration across the sector and taken important steps to future-proof workforce resilience.
We now have aligned priorities across each pillar of the Strategy and are gaining increasing traction with government, industry and external partners.
During my time as Chair of the Delivery Board, I have felt immense pride in what we have achieved together through the Energy & Utility Skills Partnership. The commitment of our members and our shared passion for the sector have laid strong foundations for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
I am absolutely confident that Nicki and Sarah will bring professionalism, energy and leadership to the role of Co-Chairs, and I wish them every success as they guide the next phase of delivery.”
From strategy to coordinated delivery
The appointments come at an important point for the Partnership as it works to build the safe, skilled and sustainable workforce needed to deliver the UK’s energy, water and waste ambitions.
The 2025 to 2030 Skills Strategy sets out how the sector will respond to the requirement for more than 312,300 new people by the end of the decade. Its four pillars of research, attract, develop and retain provide a framework for widening talent pipelines, strengthening workforce capability and supporting employers to deliver the UK’s essential services.
As Co-Chairs, Sarah and Nicki will lead the Delivery Board in coordinating activity across these priorities, supporting collaboration between members and ensuring the Partnership maintains a clear focus on delivery and impact.
Stephen Barrett, Director of Membership & Strategic Engagement at Energy & Utility Skills, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Nicki and Sarah as Co-Chairs of the Delivery Board and very much look forward to working with them as we enter Year Two of the 2025-2030 Skills Strategy.
The first year of the Strategy has provided strong foundations, aligned priorities and growing momentum across the Partnership. As we move into the next phase, successful delivery will depend on robust governance, clear accountability and coordinated action across our strategy groups, network groups and member organisations.
Together, we will focus on translating Partnership and UK strategic priorities into targeted action and measurable impact, ensuring we continue to attract, develop and retain the skilled workforce needed to support the future of the energy, water and waste sectors.”
Get Involved
Building the safe, skilled and sustainable workforce needed across energy, water and waste will require collaboration across industry, employers, education providers and government.
Whether you’re interested in supporting delivery of the 2025-2030 Skills Strategy, contributing to one of our priority workstreams, or learning more about membership and participation in the EUSP CEO Council, we’d love to hear from you.
To find out how your organisation can get involved, contact collaborate@euskills.co.uk.
