Building Belonging – Now and for the Future
By Anna Weniger, Assistant Innovation Project Manager at SSEN Transmission
When I joined SSEN Transmission as a Commercial Graduate in 2023, I knew inclusion and diversity mattered here—but I had no idea how far my own journey into I&D work at SSE would go. Two years later, I have a leadership role on the Transmission I&D Committee, run SSE’s LGBTQIA+ Book Club, sit on two Belonging Group Steering Committees, and recently organised our first Explorer Day for Students of Underrepresented Genders.
Tackling Gender Imbalance
Gender imbalance is a persistent challenge in the energy sector. Policies alone won’t fix it—we need more diverse talent entering the pipeline. Inspired by my own experiences as the only girl at STEM events, I proposed that we host a day dedicated to students of underrepresented genders. One year later, my idea came to life.
What We Did
38 students from five schools joined us at our Perth office for hands-on activities such as:
- Innovation Challenge - Students learned about the process through which we identify, test, and deploy innovative solutions to challenges in our business; used thermal cameras to take the temperature of items in the room; and discussed how the use of technology like thermal cameras can support innovation.
- Routing Challenge - Students were challenged to find a route for an overhead line on a map, connecting generation to substations and centres of demand, taking into consideration environmental, community, and technical constraints.
- VR Headsets - Students used VR headsets to virtually walk around inside one of our substations and to climb a transmission tower, experiencing the challenges faced by our colleagues working in those environments.
- Overhead Line Challenge - Students built transmission towers out of straws and connected them with string (representing conductors), making sure that their structures were stable and met the required clearance values.
After the activities, five colleagues joined me for a panel discussion about their career journeys. Our panellists ranged from those who struggled in secondary school to those with postgraduate degrees, all now thriving at SSEN Transmission, showing students that there's no one path to a successful career.
Why It Matters
Diversity drives better business outcomes—but for me, the true power of diversity is about belonging. It’s about moments like asking a girl who has virtually climbed a transmission tower if she would consider doing it in real life, and getting a “yes” in response; or sharing stories in book club and listening cafés. It’s about creating spaces where everyone feels valued and sees possibilities.
I’ve found that sense of belonging at SSE, and I hope my work helps others—now and in the future—feel the same.
I would like to extend my thanks to the colleagues who helped make the Explorer Day possible: Nicky Gadsden, Jim Masters, Gillian Hurding, Isobel Green, Clare Montgomery, Casey Bauchope, Lori Cuthbert, Mia Pasquale, Caitlin Macquarrie, Alex Pender, Katie Fergus, Carol Roy, Sophia Ali, Sarah King, Sara McGonigle, Ariane Newlands, and Caiti Cairns.
