As the energy industry continues to evolve, the demand for skilled specialists is increasing. The energy company EWII in the Triangle Region has taken the consequence and developed a specially designed training program for their specialized employees. The goal is to develop the professionalism of their own specialists in a vibrant and attractive talent environment - for the benefit of both the specialists themselves and EWII as an organization.
"We need to make sure we have the professional skills to do our job"
This is how Senior HR Project Manager Birthe Helbo Mortensen answered the question of why the energy company EWII has launched a training program specifically for their specialists. EWII already had training programs for managers and project managers, among others. While managers have an important role in setting direction and framework, it is often the specialized experts who form the backbone of professionalism, innovation and operational expertise. That's why it's just as important to develop your specialists as your leaders.
"We have attractive career development opportunities in EWII for both those who want to follow the management path, the specialist path and the project manager path, and at the same time we have course offerings in our EWII Academy that can be used by all employees,"
says HR Director Marianne Quistgaard Iversen. To make a concrete offer for specialists, EWII developed a targeted specialist initiative in 2023 in collaboration with the consultancy LEAD, which includes training exclusively for specialist employees along with other initiatives to increase understanding of the role. The initiative has acted as a catalyst to create more attractive career paths for specialists and has already had a significant impact on the organization, as specialists are starting to put their skills into play even more than before.
A holistic training program
The specialist training started in October 2023 and consists of an interaction between three learning tracks: Physical modules and community gatherings, training tracks between modules and practical learning in your own unit through action learning. All specialists in the program are appointed by managers to participate, based on the specialty area they were to develop.
The program has three important
strategic and developmental goals:
1
Increased decision-making power among specialists
Specialists often become the overlooked bridge between technology/operations and strategy. A key goal of the program is to strengthen specialists' ability to enter the strategic decision-making space with increased confidence and insight. By understanding the strategic rules of the game and acquiring the tools to influence decisions, more perspectives are included in the important decision-making processes, which in the long run contributes to higher professionalism, increased efficiency and innovation in the organization.
2
Holistic development: Both employee and business development
To ensure that the training has consistent organizational relevance, it is important to have a holistic perspective on development. This means focusing on personal development, professional development and specialty development at the same time.
Personal development aims to strengthen individual goals for each person, such as communication or collaboration skills.
Professional development is designed to enhance the specialist's skills within their respective field, improving the individual's professional approach to tasks and opening doors to new professional opportunities.
Finally, the development of the specialty aims to create a professionalization of specific professional areas by setting clear goals and raising the level of professionalism within the specialty. In this way, specialist training is not only an upgrade of individual skills, but also a strategic investment in the company's future.
3
Collaboration across the organization
To create a strong learning organization, encouraging specialists to network across departments and functions is also an important goal of the training. This interdisciplinary collaboration creates a fertile ground for knowledge sharing, where specialists can mirror each other and exchange insights that strengthen their shared competencies while setting new professional standards
From theoretical insights to practical application
The effect of the course
According to Johannes Dalegaard Guldbæk, Operations Director at TREFOR Infrastructure, which is part of the EWII Group, the specialist training has a significant impact on several areas of the organization. Among other things, the training contributes to an organizational maturity that forms the foundation for working with bringing specialists into play in a meaningful way. Some of the key effects that Johannes Dalegaard Guldbæk identifies as particularly successful are:
Learning environments
The specialist training provides the foundation for healthy learning environments with a focus on knowledge sharing and innovation. Participants exchange ideas and experiences, leading to new solutions, insights and optimized processes. This learning environment supports a culture where knowledge flows freely and contributes to the development of both individual and organizational competencies.
Cross-functional collaboration
Specialist training also strengthens cross-functional collaboration within the organization. By getting to know other specialists, departments and work processes, specialists spar across teams and share their knowledge and experience. This creates a more dynamic workplace where employees look beyond their own department and contribute to larger organizational goals. In addition, we are encouraged to look beyond the organization: What are the new professional standards, methods and technologies - and what do they do best - that we can use in EWII. And finally, in some areas we are the professional beacons and so skilled that we can influence and inspire others.
Talent development and retention
Specialist training focuses on both personal and professional development, offering clear development opportunities and career paths, helping to create an attractive workplace that attracts and engages talented employees. Specialists gain a stronger connection to the organization and this commitment is essential to ensure a continuous supply of qualified specialists to drive the organization forward.
Future perspectives
Managers have a special role throughout the training process because they support participants before, during and after the program. It is their responsibility to ensure the framework for the valuable knowledge of specialists to be put into play and used in a meaningful way. When management actively involves specialists in decision-making processes, it motivates them to continue contributing their expertise.
According to Johannes Dalegaard Guldbæk, the specialist development efforts have only just begun. EWII has several exciting plans to further develop and strengthen an internal network of specialists. One concrete plan is to engage the participants from the specialist training in creating initiatives and permanent measures to ensure that specialists are systematically integrated into the tactical and strategic work in the future. The long-term goal is for new specialists to become part of a well-defined specialist environment on their first day of work, so they always know who to turn to and how they can contribute effectively. This vision creates a future where specialist skills become a key driver of EWII's continued growth and success.
Learning from EWII:
Three good reasons to have a focused specialist effort
Developing strategic capabilities
The better we understand our business mission and the skills required to fulfill it, the better we can ensure we have the right skills for the future. But it can be difficult to predict the future and new conditions, including new technologies, but we practice. Specialist efforts should help ensure that we anticipate what skills are needed in the future - and that these skills form a natural professional career path with steps of increasing importance: Specialist, Senior Specialist and Expert.
Attraction and
attachment
A focused specialist effort shows that the organization values its specialists and invests in their development. This creates a stronger connection and increases employee motivation and loyalty. When specialists see clear career opportunities and support for their professional growth, they are more likely to stay with the organization long-term.
Increased expertise and innovation
A focused specialist approach ensures that employees with specific professional knowledge and skills are given the opportunity to develop further. This fosters deep expertise and creates an environment where innovation thrives. Specialists can apply their knowledge to develop new solutions and improve existing processes, which ultimately benefits the entire organization.
