Wie France - Energy Transition: Opportunities for Women
The annual event of CIGRE Women In Energy France was held at EDF Lab Saclay, on the International Women's Day. The 2023 theme "The place of women in the energy transition professions" highlighted the essential place of women in the energy professions.
Saclay - France
8 March 2023
This event, organized in two highlights, first, CIGRE member companies presented their activities and actions in terms of diversity and inclusion to young students from the Plateau of Saclay (CentraleSupélec, ENSTA, Université Paris-Saclay ou TélécomParis, …). During the forum the French National Committee CIGRE France, Hitachi Energy, Siemens Energy, EDF R&D, GE and RTE were present.
In the second part of the event, the testimonies shared in three round tables were very inspiring and show that tomorrow needs all talents:
- Sarah Nasr, research engineer and project leader at EDF Lab Saclay, moderated the first panel on the theme of training for employment with testimonials from Catherine Bobo, Director of the School of ecological transition project in Enedis and Maria Veizaga, young research engineer at EDF Lab Saclay.
- Gemira Martinez-Caceres – operationnal leader of the Electrix project at Enedis , in her panel highlighted the diversity and the international energy transition with Dr Tal Katz – chair of CIGRE and Women In Energy Israël, environmental scientist CEO Israel Electric Corporation, Pranvera Dobruna Kryezu - chair of CIGRE et chair of Women In Energy Kosovo, CEO Energy Legacy and Solange David – member of the director’s board of CIGRE and chair of Women in Energy international and Brazil, lawyer,
- Stéphanie Muller – head of an R&D department, brought together Sofia Sauvageot – world vice-chair, high voltage service at Hitachi Energy, Isabelle Juillet – General and Financial Director of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Carmen Munoz-Dormoy – Deputy Director of EDF R&D, Director of Downstream activities around the topic of transition, challenges and adaptability of companies.
These testimonies highlighted the colossal training needs that are ahead of us, indeed, the energy transition develops employment. Today there are not enough women and men trained, the restructuring of the training offer will take time. As a first step, to meet the demand, it is necessary to find women in trainings where they are more numerous. As these training courses are not completely in line with the energy professions, they require additional support in companies. In a second step, it is the responsibility of companies to work with schools and universities to develop trainings so that it is in line with demand. Awareness of young girls' scientific professions must be done from middle or high school. Today only 17% of girls chose scientific preparatory classes.
The energetic transition is not limited to historical professions. It also opens new opportunities for women, especially in the fields of research and innovation. Energy professions give meaning and allow younger generations to find an interest. Women are thus increasingly present in the teams that develop the technologies of tomorrow, whether wind, solar or hydrogen.
Moreover, incomes are often more attractive than in other sectors, especially for low wages. Enedis is a technical company, with many technical employees, the feminization rate is 25% with a feminization from the top with 30-35% of women managers. For the exEcution employment there are about 17% women.
Then, inspiring leaders have allowed us to believe in the potential of women in the energy industry in positions of responsibility. In all energy-related companies there is a strong post-covid growth that makes it possible to hire new recruits with varied and diverse profiles that generate innovation and ideation. We agreed that positive discrimination was a lever to be taken carefully for the promotion of women, it is not a question of taking a person because she is a woman but because she is the most qualified for the job.
We have been able to see that these issues are the same in the world through international testimonies. For example, in Kosovo there are only 9% women in the energy sector. All are aware of the importance of change of management to be carried out both societal and technical. The challenges of climate change and the need to move towards the Zero Emission Objective 2050. In Israel, an initiative has been taken to feminize job search ads in the energy sector. Regarding Brazil, the change of government allows, according to Solange David, to hope that the energy transition will allow a responsibility of all and will be declined in society to lead to sustainable and responsible developments.
On this International Women's Day, Laurie-Anne Clément, Chair Women In Energy France, Thierry Plouvier, Vice-Chair WiE France and Sylvie Perrin, Vice-Chair WiE France thanked all who are building a more sustainable energy future, who inspire, mentor, encourage women to participate in a more equal and environmentally friendly world.
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