College Curriculum Development Manager, Hayley Williams, has been officially recognised for her outstanding contribution to Wales’ marine energy sector picking up the ‘Ysbryd Y Môr’ award at the annual Marine Energy Wales conference in Cardiff.
‘Ysbryd Y Môr’ meaning ‘Spirit of the Sea’ is an award established by Marine Energy Wales (MEW) to celebrate individuals or entities whose passion, commitment and vision have been a driving force behind the growth and success of Wales’ marine energy sector.
Accepting her award at the Marine Energy Wales networking dinner, Hayley thanked MEW for the acknowledgement and commented: “When it comes to good projects and trying to inspire people, I don’t do this on my own, I rely heavily on many others: Arwyn Williams and Kadi Berry of Pembrokeshire College, the lovely Holly Skyrme from PCF, and the rest of you guys. Thank you very much.”
During her time at Pembrokeshire College, Hayley has played a key role in the creation of Destination Renewables – a pioneering two-year initiative that links 16-18-year-olds with opportunities in Wales’ green energy sector. She has also led on the development of the Maritime Pre-Cadetship programme, designed to open doors to marine-focused careers through hands-on experience.
More recently, Hayley has founded the SPARC Alliance to address a critical challenge in STEM and energy: gender imbalance. With women making up just 16% of the offshore workforce, Hayley moved beyond asking “why” to tackling “how” we can change that.
In its inaugural year, SPARC attracted 172 female students and engaged over 880 young people across seven secondary schools in Pembrokeshire. The initiative exposed students to careers in engineering, construction, and renewable energy – areas many had not previously considered.
SPARC is already making waves – informing policy discussions, unlocking funding for low-carbon skills, and gaining recognition from government, educational leaders, and industry stakeholders across Wales
Looking ahead, Hayley has ambitious goals for SPARC. She’s a strategic thinker committed to not only sparking inspiration among young people but also creating the structures that will empower them to thrive.
A colleague commented: “When she stepped into her curriculum development role, it was completely new. New for the college, and new for her. But she shaped it from the ground up, drawing on her experience in international education and marketing. She threw herself into it – starting with the Warsash pre-cadetship. Then she expanded into renewables, with courses like Destination Renewables, and more recently, SPARC. Now, these courses don’t succeed in isolation. They need strong industry support and this is where Hayley really shines.
“She doesn’t just connect with people – she brings them with her. Her enthusiasm is contagious. It gets people on board, and keeps them there. Because of that, she’s not just building courses – she’s building futures for the students of Pembrokeshire, and for the renewable sector as a whole.”
Tom Hill, Programme Manager at Marine Energy Wales, added: “Hayley’s passion and persistence to help carve new paths for the industry is truly inspirational to us all at MEW.
“Her unwavering efforts and achievements, and what she’s made possible for so many others is quietly, steadily and powerfully shaping the future of our sector.
“We want to recognise that spark, that courage to say yes, and that ability to bring people together to make the impossible seem quite normal, actually.”
