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The National Water Resilience Debate is an annual event hosted by ÐÇ¿ÕÌåÓý¹ÙÍø and organised by the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience (WIRe). Each year we focus on an important topic or challenge facing the water sector.

This year, we will be discussing the skills gap in the water sector. 

The UK’s water resources, assets, institutions and services are under more pressure than ever before as a result of climate change, ageing infrastructure, pollution, population growth, urbanisation and increased public scrutiny. The requirement for suitably skilled specialists with the appropriate interdisciplinary skills has therefore never been higher.

This is against a backdrop of an ageing workforce – 20% of the skilled workforce in the water industry are due to retire this decade, while only 8% of employees are under the age of 24. Organisations representing the water utilities and the supply chain have identified the requirement for a more diverse and inclusive workforce with a different skills mix that is capable of integrating empirical science contributions with the increased digitisation of the sector.

In fact, water management now demands collaboration across multiple disciplines, including engineering, environmental science, economics and social science.  

The questions posed for the 2025 debate will therefore be: 

• Is there really such a big skills gap in the sector? 
• If so, what skills do we need and how do we attract talented individuals with those skills into water management? 
• What do those seeking a job want from a career in the water sector? 

Who should attend

Professionals, politicians, civil servants, academics, members of the public active or interested in the UK water sector or related areas.

Cost

Free to join