Holly Skyrme is a Project Coordinator at Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. Her work is focused on engaging and educating local communities on the emerging marine renewable energy industry, and ensuring local people can grasp its benefits.

Here, she tells us her career story, and how she’s proud to have found a job she loves, in a place she’s proud to call home.


Like most people my age growing up in Pembrokeshire, I was convinced that securing a ‘good job’ meant moving away. As a young person in Milford Haven, I had no idea what my future career would look like.

That was until a much-admired schoolteacher opened my eyes to the world of renewable energy and the role it plays in tackling climate change and saving our planet.

It lit a spark, and I knew then that I wanted to make a difference, but I still wasn’t sure how.

Engineering and maths were not my forte, so I quickly wrote off a job in the renewable industry. My passion really lay in the people side of things – I was fascinated by subjects such as geography and economics and how humans intersect with the environment.

Fast forward through A Levels, backpacking, university in Leeds and a stint marketing for Mercedes-Benz, and l was debating an indefinite trip abroad to succumb to the cliché of finding my purpose, when the pandemic hit.

Plans halted and I found myself back in Pembrokeshire, the place I never thought I would return to to build a life. During this unexpected pause, I fell in love with surfing, and began to see Pembrokeshire as a home in a totally new light. My hometown changed from a place lacking in things to do, to a vibrant county full of outdoor fun, natural beauty and best of all, waves!

This period of reflection was crucial for me. I realised Pembrokeshire had so much more to offer than I had previously appreciated. But, I still hadn’t found my ‘purpose’.

Then, as if by fate, I sold a piece of furniture to Jess, a Facebook Marketplace scouring local who was passionately involved in marine renewable energy here in our county. This was a sector I knew I was passionate about but did not believe had a role for someone like me, never mind in Pembrokeshire?

Jess wasn’t an engineer, so her work fascinated me, and our conversation revealed all the opportunities right here on my doorstep. Jess urged me to apply for a position that had become available at PCF on their Marine Energy Wales Project. This role not only aligned with my values, but also felt like a true calling; merging my love for my now surf-oriented beachside life in Pembrokeshire with my passion for renewables and sustainability.

At PCF, we are developing a Marine Energy Engagement Plan to prepare our community to thrive in a greener future.

We are working to empower local ambassadors to communicate the changes that these energy projects can bring and specifically, educate younger people, like me, that there are opportunities to work and live in a prosperous and diverse economy.

Harnessing our coastline’s natural resources and generating sustainable energy not only benefits the planet but also decreases our reliance on fossil fuels and imported fuel, boosting energy security.

The sector could also bring substantial social and economic benefits to Pembrokeshire, provide long-term employment and growth opportunities for residents.

In particular, floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea could create thousands of jobs, whether it’s engineers, data analysts, project managers, or indirect roles created by providing a space for workers to eat, sleep and shop.

But we need to make sure we can match the needs of the industry.

We want Pembrokeshire to be the UK’s green energy leader, fostering an innovative, supportive, and inclusive environment for skills and training and an empowered community within it, who are knowledgeable about developments and their impacts and supportive of the benefits that the industry has brought to our county.

I was delighted recently to give a speech at 4theRegion’s ‘It’s Your Pembrokeshire‘ event in Narberth on this very subject. The event brought together more than 200 locals to network and discuss the key opportunities and challenges facing our county.

One of the main themes of that day was around the loss of young talent to the bright lights of the big city, something I’m particularly passionate about, and I was honoured to tell my story.

There are so many opportunities to live in our beautiful county and work in exciting and fulfilling jobs – we just need to get the word out there!