Craggs Energy’s Emily Yates appears on Young Person of the Year podcast this Wednesday
Former Young Person of the year, Emily Yates of Calderdale-based Craggs Energy, will be taking part in an inspirational podcast this coming Wednesday (12.30-1.15pm, 14th May), where she will be giving an insight into what it means to work in the liquid fuels sector as a young woman.
Joined by two other former winners of the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association’s (UKIFDA) Young Person of the Year Award, Emily, 28, will discuss her personal experiences, how her career has developed since she became the inaugural winner of the award in 2021, and what she is now doing to inspire others to consider the liquid fuel sector as a career.
Widely recognised as a rising star in the fuel distribution industry, Emily joined Craggs Energy in 2015 on its apprenticeship scheme and has worked for the company ever since.
Starting out in customer services, before moving into domestic and agriculture sales, Emily is currently Operations and Transport Manager, where she is responsible for running the transport operational side of the business, looking after a team of drivers, over multiple locations and a mixed fleet size to ensure that Craggs Energy fuels the heartbeat of the community.
Looking after everything from driver wellbeing and vehicle maintenance to health and safety and delivery routing Emily, supported by her team, puts the customer at the forefront of all they do, every day.
Emily’s diverse role currently includes working on Craggs Energy’s FORS accreditation. But it doesn’t end at managing the fleet and her team. Having gained her Class 1 and Class 2 HGV licenses, Emily can be regularly found filling in for her team out on the road delivering fuel across Yorkshire and the North West.
On top of all that, Emily posts regularly on LinkedIn, where her loyal followers have watched her career progress over the past ten years. Here, Emily helps to break down perceived barriers about the sector, encouraging more young women to seek a career in what has traditionally been seen as a male dominated industry. And it’s working too. Her current number two, also an Emily, joined Craggs Energy as an apprentice having been inspired by Emily’s social posts.
Beyond work, Emily also takes time out to visit local schools, where she speaks to children and students about her career, and how switching from working in a nursery to working in liquid fuel distribution was the best thing she ever did. Bringing in a tanker for the children to see as part of her show-and-tell talks is always a winner.
Emily explains to students how her delivery drivers provide much more than just fuel; they also provide vital contact with the outside world, which is particularly important for more vulnerable or isolated members of the community who look forward to their fuel delivery and a catch-up with a cup of tea.
Looking ahead to the UKIFDA Show 2025 Awards, and the Young Person of the Year Podcast, Emily commented: “It’s a great honour to be invited onto the podcast. I love what I do, and I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm for the job and the opportunities that exist within the industry.”
Emily added: “I’ve always found helping people and getting out into the local community hugely rewarding, which is exactly what we do day-in and day-out, supporting homes, businesses, and farms. When you’ve made it through floods, storms, or snowdrifts with an emergency, out-of-hours, or cold weather priority fuel delivery, the look of relief and gratitude on the face of our customers is unparalleled. There’s nothing quite like it. It’s why we exist, to fuel the heartbeat of our community.”
As part of Craggs Energy’s commitment to the community, 25p is being donated to Age UK Calderdale & Kirklees for every delivery up until the end of June.
To listen to Emily as part of the UKIFDA Young Person of the Year Award Podcast, click here.
