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Fuelling Minds: Prysmian's and NeuConnect's ongoing commitment to future talent

Fueling Minds: Prysmian’s Ongoing Commitment to Future Talent

Fuelling Minds: Prysmian's and NeuConnect's ongoing commitment to future talent

Following the success of last year's initiative, Prysmian were delighted to take part in NeuConnect's educational project with renewed passion and enthusiasm, engaging once again with the students from St John Fisher school in Rochester, Kent (UK). The programme involved several interactive sessions aimed at increasing interest in the energy industry for the next generation.

The core goal was to introduce students to the opportunities available within the energy sector and demonstrate the positive impact of Prysmian’s work across communities. The team’s commitment to delivering this message, especially to new groups of students, continues to be a rewarding and stimulating experience.

NeuConnect is a 725-kilometer submarine interconnection project that, for the first time, will connect the electricity networks of Germany and the UK. Awarded in 2022, the project will see Prysmian in charge of its full lifecycle-covering design, production, installation, testing, and final commissioning. Once operational, NeuConnect will rank among the longest interconnectors globally and will support Europe’s broader objectives of delivering more affordable, sustainable, and reliable electrical energy.

Students this year were introduced to a wide array of topics through engaging and hands-on sessions. The journey began with Project Management, where participants learned how project teams are structured and how collaboration drives success. The team shared real-life challenges and day-to-day operations, providing insight into the dynamics of large-scale energy projects.

In the System Engineering session, students gained a deeper understanding of cable design, including the manufacturing and testing of HV cables. They even had the chance to handle a sample Mass Impregnated cable, and they were also surprised to discover that paper is used in its insulation package.

The program then took students on a visual deep dive into Marine Installation, showcasing Prysmian’s high-tech vessel on eight fleet and the complex work done offshore. Then, a Land Installation session highlighted onshore challenges, such as transporting massive cable drums and navigating route obstacles.

The second day was dedicated to environmental sustainability. Through photographs of protected species near work sites, the team demonstrated their commitment to ecological safety. The final session centered around Health & Safety, featuring an outdoor activity at an active construction site. Students participated in a mini risk assessment and joined specialists in evaluating site conditions-taking on an active role in real-world safety protocols.

Innovative interaction: learning by doing

“This year’s edition featured new hands-on experiences designed to leave a lasting impression. One highlight was the “You’re Now a Cable!” game, where teams used materials like kitchen paper and aluminum foil to recreate cable layers-on each other! The students enjoyed this activity a lot” said Lubna Gemey, Project Manager for Neuconnect project at Prysmian.

“Another creative exercise challenged students to design an onshore cable route using a Minecraft-inspired map. With budget-representing tokens and construction constraints, they balanced strategy and cost management, making it one of the most memorable activities of the program” - concluded Lubna.

Strong female leadership and teamplay

This year's sessions were led by four women from Prysmian’s team: Lubna Gemey, Project Manager, along with Raquel Marchena (System Engineering), Mashuda Khanom (Land Installation), and Lindsay Murphy (HSE/Site Manager). They shared their professional journeys with a group of eight engaged young boys. The HSE team working daily onsite also participated on the second day, further enriching the students’ experience.

Looking ahead, discussions are underway to expand the initiative to more schools and regions. The team hopes to meet with current students again in a year to see what choices they’ve made and where their inspiration has led them.

In addition to this, the team hopes students walk away with a broader view of career possibilities in the energy industry. Through this initiative, they’ve seen how vast and varied the sector is, how much knowledge can be gained every day, and how meaningful their contribution to energy markets can be.

This initiative reflects Prysmian’s dedication to its social ambition, fostering employee engagement to drive meaningful contributions to local communities across its global footprint. It also demonstrates the company’s proactive approach to addressing evolving economic, social, and environmental challenges with confidence and responsibility. And perhaps Prysmian succeeds in lighting a little spark that will shape futures for years to come.

Prysmian in the UK

Prysmian has played a key role in strengthening the UK’s infrastructure through a series of impactful projects. These include submarine interconnectors like IFA2, North Sea Link, and Viking Link—the latter being the longest combined land and subsea interconnection in the world. The company has also delivered land-based interconnectors such as Eleclink and contributed to major offshore wind farms including Hornsea 2, Sofia, and Kinkardine, which marked Prysmian’s first cable installation for a floating offshore wind farm.