Over 70 pupils from secondary schools across the region gathered at the Carnegie Conference and Events Centre for a dedicated Girls in Energy conference hosted by Fife College and supported by Shell UK.
Pupils from nine local schools participated in a full day of activities, which included a solar photovoltaic workshop, a hydrogen challenge and an electric car race. The event celebrated innovation in STEM fields and renewable energy.
Industry partners, including Babcock, Oceaneering, TechnipFMC, KDM, Caledonia Play, EAS, Score, Alltec Construction, DYW Fife and Stemovators, gathered at the College’s new Dunfermline City Campus to deliver hands-on activities and promote real-world career pathways.
The event concluded with a keynote address from Professor Lesley Sloss from the University of Strathclyde and prize-giving, recognising participants’ achievements and awarding three Shell UK-supported scholarships.
The conference also reflected the continued growth of the Girls in Energy programme, first introduced by Shell UK in 2018 to encourage greater female participation in STEM. The programme now operates across three cohorts in Dunfermline, Levenmouth and Glenrothes, with 30 pupils enrolled for the current academic year.
Iain Hawker, Assistant Principal: Enterprise & Partnerships at Fife College, said:
“This event was about inspiring ambition and showing young women across Fife that there are exciting, rewarding careers waiting for them in energy and STEM. By bringing together schools and industry in one space, we are helping to break down barriers and build clear pathways into the sector.
“The renewable energy and STEM sectors are rapidly evolving, offering exciting and impactful career paths. We want every young woman to know that these industries need their talents, ideas and leadership.
“We are particularly grateful to Shell UK for their ongoing support and partnership, which has been instrumental in expanding the Girls in Energy programme and making events like this possible. Through initiatives like these, Fife College is proud to open doors and empower the next generation of innovators and leaders in energy and STEM.”
Jennifer MacDonald, UK Social Investment Manager, Shell UK said:
“We’re proud to partner with Fife College and support the Girls in Energy programme. Seeing so many young women embrace STEM and learning about energy is inspiring. Our investment aims to nurture future talent and drive progress in the energy sector.”
Shell UK have been offering scholarships at Fife College since 2009. Over that time, 78 students have received support, sharing more than £60,000 in funding – a significant investment in talent, ambition and future careers. Since 2020, 26 of those recipients have come directly from our Girls in Energy programme.
The Shell UK Girls in Energy Scholarship recipients for 2026 are:
- Bailey Kenny (St Columba’s RC High School)
- Holly Shaw (Auchmuty High School)
- Ellie Docherty (Levenmouth Academy)
All three pupils have demonstrated strong commitment to engineering and renewable energy pathways and will use their scholarships to support their continued studies and future career ambitions.
Fife secondary schools in attendance at the Girls in Energy Conference:
- Auchmuty High School
- Beath High School
- Kirkcaldy High School
- Glenrothes High School
- Levenmouth Academy
- Lochgelly High School
- Viewforth High School
- St Columba’s RC High School
- Woodmill High School