Lowestoft wind farm workers at centre of recruitment drive

Jovita Beeston and Troy Allen are part of ScottishPower’s 1,000 Green Jobs recruitment campaign to raise awareness of the diverse range of careers available across the green energy company.

Ms Beeston, from Acle, is in the final year of her three-year apprenticeship as a balance of power technician and was one of the first offshore wind apprentices recruited by the renewables team.

Jovita Beeston is thoroughly enjoying working on the wind farm (Image: ScottishPower)

The former University Technical College Norfolk student said: “I love the combination of the practical, hands-on element of engineering, mixed with the more analytical, problem-solving aspects of the job.

"Every day I go to work and feel like I’m part of the solution, and that’s incredibly rewarding.

“Women were traditionally underrepresented in the engineering industry, however, as one of ScottishPower’s first offshore apprentices, I feel incredibly lucky to be able to demonstrate a clear pathway for other women to work in a green industry."

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Troy Allen made a career switch and is thoroughly enjoying his new role (Image: ScottishPower)

Mr Allen, 35, is Lowestoft born and bred.

When he was looking for his next career move from another area of the energy industry, he wanted to be closer to home and responded to a vacancy for a senior wind farm controller on East Anglia ONE. 

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“Seeing the investment in offshore wind in Lowestoft and the scale of the prospects to come was a big driver to me. It is a massive opportunity in an industry that is growing fast and a long-term commitment that will continue to change this area,” he said. 

“People don’t always understand they have transferable skills they can take to a new industry. 

“A huge pull of my current role was ScottishPower’s commitment to the UK’s net zero targets, and knowing I’d be directly contributing to this if I were to make the leap."