Pembrokeshire woman wins marine energy sector award
Hayley Williams, Pembrokeshire College's curriculum development manager, was announced as the winner of the second-ever Ysbryd Y Môr award at the annual Marine Energy Wales conference in Cardiff.
Accepting her award at the conference's networking dinner at the Parkgate Hotel, Ms Williams said: "When it comes to good projects and trying to inspire people, I don't do this on my own, I rely heavily on many others: Arwyn Williams and Kadi Berry of Pembrokeshire College, the lovely Holly Skyrme from PCF, and the rest of you guys.
"Thank you very much."
Ms Williams has been instrumental in launching initiatives such as the Destination Renewables programme and the Maritime Pre-Cadetship during her time at Pembrokeshire College.
She is also credited for the creation of the SPARC Alliance, established to tackle the issue of the gender disparity in STEM and energy sectors.
A colleague said of her work: "When she stepped into her curriculum development role, it was completely new.
"New for the college, and new for her.
"But she shaped it from the ground up, drawing on her experience in international education and marketing.
"Because of that, she's not just building courses – she's building futures.
"For the students of Pembrokeshire, and for the renewable sector as a whole."
The SPARC Alliance had significant impacts in its first year.
A total of 172 female learners signed up, and more than 880 students across seven secondary schools in Pembrokeshire have engaged in the initiative, securing real-world exposure to industries they might never have considered.
The Destination Renewables project she spearheaded is a two-year programme that connects 16-18-year-olds with Wales's green energy sector whilst the Maritime Pre-Cadetship is an initiative that projects pathways into blue careers.
Tom Hill, programme manager at Marine Energy Wales, said: "Hayley's passion and persistence to help carve new paths for the industry is truly inspirational to us all at MEW.
"Her unwavering efforts and achievements, and what she's made possible for so many others is quietly, steadily and powerfully shaping the future of our sector.
"We want to recognise that spark, that courage to say yes, and that ability to bring people together to make the impossible seem quite normal, actually."
After working in advertising in London, Ms Williams returned to Wales, originally working in marketing and recruitment before moving into a curriculum development role.
Now recognised with the Ysbryd Y Môr award, a testament to her dedication to Wales's marine energy sector, she continues to innovate and impact the sector positively.
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