Agenda - Northern Ireland Green Skills Conference 2025

An engaging full day conference designed to encourage networking, spirited debate and information sharing.

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Kindly note that agenda sessions and timings are subject to change.

8:00 am

Break

Networking

9:00 am

Keynote

Introduction

Barra Best

Host, BBC

9:05 am

Keynote

Ian Snowden

DFE Permanent Secretary , Department of Economy

9:20 am

Keynote

Keynote: Action Plan

Gordon Parkes

Executive Director, People & Culture, NIE Networks

9:45 am

Panel Discussion

Achieving a net-zero economy and the skills challenges we face

Professor John Barry

Professor of Green Political Economy in the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action, Queen's University, Belfast

Professor Neil Hewitt

Professor of Energy, Ulster University

Sorcha Eastwood

MP , Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Steph Dunlop

Corporate Affairs Policy Manager, SSE Ireland

10:35 am

Keynote

Morning round up

Sorcha Eastwood

MP , Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

10:45 am

Break

Coffee Break and Networking

11:25 am

Panel Discussion

The next generation of green skills

Mal O'Hara

Green Party NI Leader , Green Party

Claire Whiteside

Generation Queue Manager, NIE Networks

Mark Fitzgerald

Head of Transformation and Innovation , NI Water

12:10 pm

Panel Discussion

Links between education and industry

Barry Neilson OBE

Chief Executive , CITB NI

David McCracken

Director , Sustainablity Education

Ciaran McManus

Director of Development and Support , South West College

Sophie Clark

Community and Education Manager, Heat Engineer

12:55 pm

Break

Morning wrap up

1:05 pm

Break

Lunch

2:00 pm

Panel Discussion

Reskilling, upskilling and retaining a workforce

Clare Caulfield

Regional Project Manager NI, Unite the Union

Helen Donaldson

Group Director of ESG, Graham Group

Jill Shaw

Director of Teaching for Computing and Communications, Open University

2:50 pm

Keynote

Future outlook for the sector

Gordon Parkes

Executive Director, People & Culture, NIE Networks

Claire Scullion

Corporate Communications Manager , NIE Networks

Stephen Barrett

Director of Membership and Strategic Engagement, Energy & Utility Skills

Jonathon Martindale

Director of Business Development, Phoenix Energy

3:20 pm

Keynote

Closing Remarks

3:30 pm

Break

Networking

4:30 pm

Break

Conference Close

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Kindly note that agenda sessions and timings are subject to change.

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