Inspiring the Next Generation

Owen Jones is External Affairs Manager at Green GEN Cymru

Last week, I visited a school in Carmarthenshire as part of the Careers Wales Work in Focus Communications Challenge, alongside colleagues from Green GEN Cymru. It was a brilliant chance to talk with young people about the future of energy in Wales and the part they could play in it.

One of the most important messages we wanted to share was that there is no single route into this sector. Everyone from Green GEN Cymru brought different experience, interests, and strengths, which helped show that there are careers in the grid sector for all kinds of people and skillsets.

The session brought together Year 8 pupils to explore one of the biggest questions facing Wales and the wider UK: how we build the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, and how communities respond to change.

Conversations about grid infrastructure can often seem distant or overly technical. What made this session so valuable was the chance for pupils to meet people working in the sector, ask direct questions, and start forming their own views about the energy system they will grow up with.

Throughout the day, pupils developed persuasive arguments both for and against new grid infrastructure in their communities. What stood out most was their curiosity, confidence, and willingness to listen to different points of view. They embraced the challenge and debated the issues with real thought and maturity.

One of the most encouraging moments was seeing how many pupils already understood the importance of investing in the grid to unlock renewable energy and strengthen future energy security. There was genuine interest not just in why this work matters, but also in the careers behind it, from engineering and environmental planning to communications, project management, and community engagement.

A huge thank you to my colleagues Stephen Rowlands, Rachel Foster, and Adrienne Buckley, who generously gave their time to support the session. Their openness, insight, and willingness to answer questions made a real difference to the pupils throughout the day.

Working in the renewable energy sector, I am often struck by how many Scottish voices you hear across the industry. That is no coincidence. Scotland has led in this field for decades, and that experience has spread widely. I would love to hear Welsh voices become just as common in the years ahead, and that starts with inspiring young people to see these careers as something open to them.

Partnerships like this with Careers Wales matter because they help connect education and industry in a meaningful way. They are also a reminder that the future workforce is already sitting in classrooms across Wales today.

If we want to deliver the energy transition successfully, we need more than infrastructure alone. We need people, skills, curiosity, and public understanding. Days like this show how those foundations are built, one conversation at a time.

We are looking forward to continuing these conversations with schools and communities across Wales in the months ahead.