ERA is working to meet the demands of the changing energy landscape by increasing the supply of highly-trained, skilled postgraduates across the spectrum of energy research. Utilising the current breadth of research in the region with over 500 academics and 1000 energy researchers, we want to develop the best energy researchers and create a talent pipeline to secure the UK’s position as a leader in energy research and innovation. 

The ERA Skills Academy aims to foster an active and engaging research culture, including using the researcher community as a source of innovation and ideas, and providing researchers with the skills to be active participants in delivering ERA’s energy research and innovation programme. By joining the ERA Skills Academy, you will receive regular updates on bespoke events and activities and be given the opportunity to co-create researcher development opportunities.

ERA skills is committed to creating a respectful atmosphere by means of a ‘principled space’ as developed by artist and activist Hanalei Ramos and the BARC Collective (Building the Anti-Racist Classroom) for all attendees to our events. The ‘principle space’ guidelines sets out fundamental values all participants are expected to honour when engaging with ERA skills related activities and events. Participants for all ERA events are requested to abide by the principles outlined below, these are adapted from the UKRI principled space policy which is derived from https://barcworkshop.org/resources/principled-space/:

• All communication, be it online or in person, will be appropriate for a professional audience and be considerate of people from different cultural backgrounds.
• We will be kind to each other and will not insult or degrade other participants.
• We agree that harassment and exclusionary jokes are not appropriate.
• We will contribute to discussion constructively and positively.
• We will make efforts to be aware of our privilege(s), and respond constructively to opportunities to learn more about our privilege(s).
• We will believe people’s accounts of their experiences of marginalisation, and honour people’s vulnerability by not disputing their lived experience, questions designed to learn/further understanding may be appropriate provided they are respectful and not overly intrusive.
• We will respect everyone’s pronouns.
• In some situations, experiences shared may be deeply personal and should be treated in the strictest confidence.
• When sharing experiences on social media, we will respect other participants; we will not make derogatory comments or posts about any person in the discussion, or to share experiences that are not ours without explicit consent.
• While these principles are intended to apply to all, they are written in recognition of existing power structures that continue to marginalise people of colour, perpetuate anti-Blackness and promote white privilege/power. This should be kept in mind whilst participating in ERA Skill’s events and activities.