‘Show up and take the chances, is better to be too loud than to regret not showing up at all’

Any industry benefits from gender diversity and inclusion. Full stop. That said, the EV charging, energy storage, grid infrastructure and solar sectors are still perceived as rather technical fields which, for many structural reasons, women tend to shy away from.

In my experience, however, the socio-economic perspective is very much needed to build functioning ecosystems. The success of the renewable energy and electric mobility transition does not hinge on technology alone. If it did, we would already have 100% electric vehicle market share and a fully renewable energy mix.

Building a career by taking chances

I see my career as a journey in which things, even if they seem disparate at first, build on each other and eventually fall into place. Each experience has contributed to the way I understand the energy and mobility transitions and the interconnected challenges they face.

I am particularly proud that, immediately after completing my PhD at the age of 31, I launched my own advisory company. I have now been building it for more than five years. When given the impulse, I took the chance and went for it, regardless of how risky or uncertain that path seemed.

Today, I am transitioning the company towards multiple projects across several vectors. This reflects the maturing of my advisory activities, while giving me a more systemic view of the challenges facing the energy and mobility transitions. In turn, that broader understanding continues to sharpen my advisory offering.

Creating workplaces that retain women

If companies want to attract and retain diverse talent, women in particular, I believe some of the most effective initiatives are those related to childcare. Too often, women face a decision between caring for their children and remaining engaged in the workplace.

Policies that provide flexibility in terms of working time, level of engagement, whether part-time or full-time, and location, both on- and off-site, are very much needed. They can significantly strengthen a company’s ability to retain women and enable them to continue developing their careers.

This flexibility, however, should apply to the entire workforce. Equal participation by both parents in childcare can enable dramatic advancements in women’s careers. Creating inclusive workplaces is therefore not only about supporting women directly, but also about establishing the conditions in which caring responsibilities can be shared more equally.

The importance of allies and equal opportunities

I have been very lucky to have had many allies, both men and women, throughout my career who supported my growth. I am grateful to all of them, but especially to one of my first clients after I launched my advisory company.

He engaged me in a high-level advisory role and never questioned me or made me feel different because of my gender. I was trusted to contribute at that level and given the space to demonstrate the value of my thinking and expertise.

This is the kind of environment I would like to see across the industry: one where everyone is given the same opportunities and the freedom to be entrepreneurial, and where their thoughts are heard and genuinely considered, without gender or “otherness” ever becoming an issue.

Be bold enough to show up

My main advice to anyone entering the field, regardless of gender or background, is to be bold and take chances. People from less fortunate backgrounds, and women in particular, often feel that they do not belong. They may feel inferior and hold back from putting themselves and their ideas forward.

You belong, your ideas are worthy, and you should not be shy about voicing them. No one really knows what they are doing, and those who appear the most confident are often the ones who know the least.

Show up and take the chances. It is better to be too loud than to regret not showing up at all.

Jana Plananska is the Founder and Advisor at Jana Plananska Mobility Solutions GmbH, an independent strategic consultancy specialising in the systemic view of mobility and energy transitions, namely on electric mobility, charging infrastructure, battery and critical raw material value chains. Jana holds a PhD in Business Management from the University of St.Gallen in Switzerland, where her research focused on consumer adoption of electric vehicles.  Through her consultancy, Jana advises clients, including EU institutions, research organizations, and technology companies, on the systemic and regulatory dimensions of e-mobility and charging infrastructure, with a particular focus on how these connect to the sustainability and resilience of grid, battery and critical raw material value chains. Her work spans strategic advisory, partnership and business development, and public affairs representation at the EU level and beyond.

Interested in joining Jana Plananska and other women industry leaders and experts at Women in Solar+ Europe? Find out more: www.wiseu.network