How a STEM Scholarship is Strengthening Saint Lucia’s Energy Workforce

When Saint Lucia set out to expand its renewable energy sector, the challenge went beyond infrastructure and technology. A reliable, resilient energy system also requires people: trained technicians, engineers, and specialists who can build, maintain, and operate it.

For decades, that workforce has been overwhelmingly male.

Today, targeted efforts are beginning to widen access to these roles.

Shurpal Dorville, 36, is now employed as an electrical technician in the electrical department of the Government of Saint Lucia. Her role places her inside the country's public energy system, contributing directly to its operations and long-term resilience.

"What this job means to me personally is that I was able to achieve this longstanding goal of working in a field that I was always passionate about," she says. "And for my family, they're proud that I was able to accomplish it. I am the first female in my family in this role."

Her journey reflects a broader effort under the Saint Lucia Renewable Sector Development Project, supported by the World Bank, which recognizes that a successful energy transition depends as much on human capital as it does on physical assets.

Entering a field where women are underrepresented

Before entering the energy sector, Shurpal worked as a regional claims clerk at a local retail company.

"I chose to pursue a career in STEM because while working at the retail company, I just believed my passions were not there and I always wanted to become an electrician, and then the opportunity came up," she explains.

Making that shift was not easy. Like many women entering technical professions, Shurpal encountered cultural expectations and workplace norms that continue to shape who is seen as belonging in STEM, particularly in the energy sector.

"Before receiving the scholarship, going into that field, I wasn't taken seriously as a female because it's male-dominated," she says. "That was one of the main challenges, trying to prove myself as a female."

Globally, women account for only about 35 percent of students enrolled in STEM fields in higher education, a gap that continues into the labor market. In energy and engineering roles, the imbalance is often even more pronounced.

Building skills for the renewable energy sector

Under the Saint Lucia Renewable Sector Development Project, investments in renewable energy are paired with investments in skills-most notably through scholarships that support women's access to technical education.

Since 2022, the project has awarded 39 scholarships to women pursuing technical and engineering programs at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. The scholarships are financed by the Canada Clean Energy and Forests Climate Facility and specifically target women to help address the gender gap in technical education and jobs in the energy sector. Each scholarship covers two years of study and includes a uniform allowance, a laptop, transportation assistance, a school supplies allowance, and a toolkit.

"The scholarship supported me financially," Shurpal says. "They also supported me mentally because I didn't have to focus on additional costs, so I would just focus on my studies."

A key feature of the program is its emphasis on hands-on experience. Through a three-month apprenticeship in the energy sector, participants are able to move from classroom learning into real-world work.

"I am now employed as an electrical technician in the electrical department of the Government of Saint Lucia, and all this happened because of the three-month apprenticeship that I received," Shurpal says.

"Since obtaining this position, my income has now stabilized, and I now experience greater financial freedom," she adds.

Shurpal is not alone. Five other women who participated in the program have transitioned into full-time roles following their apprenticeships, pointing to the program's early success in turning training into employment. For the energy sector, these outcomes contribute to a stronger and more inclusive technical workforce, one better equipped to support renewable energy systems over time.

The World Bank, together with the countries, is expanding STEM scholarship and apprenticeship programs in the energy sector through the Caribbean Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility. Initial phase includes Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and more countries and resources being added for subsequent phases.

Evidence shows that workforce diversity has economic benefits. Globally, companies with higher gender diversity are more likely to outperform their peers, and closing gender gaps in labor force participation could increase global GDP by as much as 25 percent. For Shurpal, the impact is deeply personal, but she hopes her experience will encourage others.

"To the women in Saint Lucia who are considering a career or careers in STEM, I would encourage you to go for your passion," she says. "The STEM and energy sector are always evolving and there's always meaningful space for women to grow and succeed. Do not allow stereotypes to discourage you."

As Saint Lucia builds a cleaner and more resilient energy future, stories like Shurpal's show that investing in people, especially women, strengthens the skilled workforce needed to power the country forward.