SOARING energy costs are hammering employees – whether they do their job from home or drive to the office.
October’s price cap increase to £2,500 a year could mean home-workers see their monthly bill rise by £131, according to USwitch.
You have the power to change your career — and demand for people to work in the energy sector is hotting up
Meanwhile, Volkswagen Financial Services UK claim a third of staff will no longer be able to afford to take the car to work if petrol costs keep increasing.
But you have the power to change your career — and demand for people to work in the energy sector is hotting up, with jobs offering inflation-beating salaries.
Experts estimate the UK will need an extra 150,000 employees in roles such as insulation, retrofitting, energy production and energy management by 2030.
Sustainable solutions
Wages average £36,850 and jobs offer excellent prospects. For senior consultants who monitor the consumption of an organisation and look for sustainable solutions, pay can be as high at £60,000 a year.
There are more than 61,000 vacancies across the UK. But with around 70 per cent held by men, the industry is pushing to become more inclusive.
Jonathan Brearley, CEO at energy regulator Ofgem said: “True representation is at the heart of any successful industry so we must move further and faster to ensure we can attract the very best people from all backgrounds.”
Spearheaded by Energy UK, Ofgem and the Energy Networks Association, new platform Tackling Inclusion and Diversity in Energy aims to get more women and under-represented groups into the sector.
- To read more about this, see diversityandinclusioninenergy.co.uk.
DAYNA’S A ROBO ACE
DAYNA KIVELL works for a firm helping to beat the energy crisis by using robots to put underfloor insulation into homes – slashing bills by up to 20 per cent.
Dayna, 35, is head of robotics at Q-Bot, in Wandsworth, South West London, where one in three of the staff are women.
Dayna Kivell, head of robotics at Q-Bot, reveals ‘the energy sector is really exciting and offers emerging careers’
She says: “More than 15 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions come from buildings. So insulating them is key for the Government’s plan to reach Net Zero by 2050.
“Our technology is new and we’re constantly looking for installers who can control robots to do the job. We call it ‘cobotics’, where a human is working with a robot.
“There are also jobs for energy-efficient technicians and design engineers.
“The energy sector is really exciting and offers emerging careers for a new generation of gamers and engineers.”
Find a job with Dayna at 18.135.9.89/about/careers/job-listings.
KNOW YOUR HOL RIGHTS
THE extra bank holiday for the Queen’s state funeral has seen thousands of employers scramble for legal advice.
HR expert Kate Palmer, from Peninsula, says bosses should “consider what they can do to help acknowledge employees’ rights and pay respect”.
HR expert Kate Palmer sets out what both you and your employer need to know
Here she sets out what both you and your employer need to know . . .
- There is no statutory right to a day off but bosses should treat it the same as any other extra bank holiday.
- Employers can offer a day of paid leave, or have people book it off. But government guidance encourages them to be sensitive to requests for the day itself off.
- Firms based in London, such as hotel, transport and florist businesses, could be extremely busy on the day itself. Employers may have to look at a temporary freeze on annual leave, and consider enhanced overtime rates for workers.
- If you normally work in London but can do your job from home, employers should consider this due to transport issues.
- Open businesses don’t have to show the funeral on TV. But employees may want to watch it.
- Not everyone will be fans of the Royal Ramily. Ensure that employees respect colleagues’ differing views.
AO TURNS ON GAS
APPLIANCES retailer ao.com has launched a new scheme to train current employees and contracted delivery drivers as gas engineers.
The firm is offering fully funded apprenticeships leading to the Level 3 qualification, meaning drivers can safely install appliances in customers’ homes.
The 16-week fast-track course offers online and classroom teaching, as well as on-the-road experience.
Lynne Wood, Director of Service Delivery at AO Logistics, said: “Many of our contracted drivers and electrical installers have jumped at the chance to train in gas, and I’m so pleased we can support their future careers.”
Apply for jobs at ao-jobs.com
SNAP SITE ALERT
STAFF are being warned against using new social media sensation BeReal at work – as they could face the sack.
Users are given a two-minute window to upload a selfie to the platform once every day.
Staff are warned not to use BeReal at work as they could accidentally capture in the image some sensitive information
But it is feared it would be easy for employees to accidentally capture in the image some sensitive information from emails, Zoom calls or the office background.
Jayne Harrison, head of employment law at Richard Nelson LLP, says: “You could be breaching company rules by sharing information on your laptop screen, even if it’s just in the background of a photo.
“Companies will often regard any breach as serious. Your actions could warrant dismissal for gross misconduct.”