Today, (24 February 2022) OPITO, the global safety and skills organisation, hosted more than 100 students at the world’s largest subsea exhibition and conference as part of the first My Energy Future LIVE event, designed to showcase the opportunities a career in energy can offer.

The event, which took place during Subsea Expo, delivered by Global Underwater Hub, at the P&J Live exhibition and conference centre, was attended by students from 5 schools across the North East of Scotland.

Formerly known as Energise Your Future, My Energy Future LIVE brings together the next generation of talent and industry experts, giving pupils the chance to explore the exciting career opportunities available across the oil and gas, hydrogen, carbon capture usage and storage and offshore wind.

The inspirational event saw young people work in teams to complete various exciting STEM challenges such as building the most efficient wind turbine. Tasks were delivered by Scottish STEM education charity TechFest, STEM Ambassadors in Scotland and The Royal Navy, in partnership with OPITO and Global Underwater Hub.

Students were also given the opportunity to tour the exhibition to learn about the businesses driving the energy transition such as Motive Offshore and Prevco Subsea, try out the technologies on show including augmented reality and diving equipment, and discover emerging roles and routes into the sector.

Andy Williamson, Head of Energy Transition at OPITO, commented: “Initiatives like My Energy Future LIVE are an investment in our future. As identified in the OPITO UKCS Workforce Dynamics Review, the energy sector needs to recruit 25,000 people by 2025, with around 4,500 in roles that don’t currently exist.

“At OPITO, we are playing our part by continuing to create new products and standards to develop a skilled and competent workforce that can work across the integrated energy mix. My Energy Future LIVE events give pupils the chance to take part in hands-on STEM challenges and hear real-life experiences from industry personnel at a critical time when they are considering their future career path. It is essential we ignite passion in our young people and encourage them to pursue a career in energy to achieve our shared net zero ambitions.

“After such a positive start to our first MEF LIVE event, we are looking forward to rolling this out across the UK in the coming months.”

Trish Banks, operations director at Global Underwater Hub has been involved with the GUH STEM Challenge as well as other OPITO-led STEM initiatives for more than a decade. She said: “This year’s My Energy Future Live event has been incredibly positive and the school pupils taking part all showed a real enthusiasm for the underwater energy industry. It has been really encouraging to see so many young people considering a future career path in our sector as we continue on our journey towards Net Zero.”

The re-brand of My Energy Future LIVE (formerly Energise My Future) comes following last year’s launch of My Energy Future, OPITO’s interactive STEM platform, designed to engage young people and spark their interest in a career in the energy. The previous Energise My Future events of the same format have been held as part of major energy industry events and delivered through standalone sessions since 2008.