The graduate engineer

7 May 2013

What made you want to work in renewables?

It's a very up-and-coming sector; something which we have to focus on for the future. Oil and gas are running out so we have to have a backup essentially which means a lot of people are investing in this sector. It's also very interesting, the technology behind harnessing wind energy, for example, is quite impressive, there's a lot that goes into making sure you get the most out of the potential.
 
The reason I chose to work in the renewables sector is because harnessing renewable energy and the technology which goes into that process has always been something I have found incredibly interesting, particularly during my university studies where I was able to study in a greater depth the technology and environmental benefits behind renewables.
 
What does your job involve?

I focus mainly on the transmission side of things, so getting the electricity generated back to the mainland. My work is largely in the hardware side of control and protection of the transmission lines, taking the energy harnessed by the offshore wind farm via an offshore platform, back to the mainland and into the national grid itself.

Alstom offshore wind turbines and substations (c) Alstom
 
How easy was it to get into the sector?

It was a lengthy process to join the graduate programme; firstly you apply and complete a number of online assessments, both aptitude and psychometric tests. Following this you are required to attend an assessment centre, where you complete various interviews and team activities. However, there are a lot of job opportunities in this sector, especially because of the targets we have to meet in terms of renewable installation; there are more jobs being created to help meet them.
 
So do you support a clean power target because it will create more jobs?

Yes definitely. Targets mean we have focus, people who are willing to invest, and people willing to create jobs. If you don't have the staff to do the work that's needed you are unable to achieve the targets which have been set.
 
Is it a career you'd recommend to people at university now?

Very much so. It's a very up-and-coming industry. We work in high-voltage direct current transmission, which is fascinating. It's relatively new in certain areas so being at the front of technology is quite a special thing. For me, it's quite a unique position to be in.
 
Did you find it easier to find a job than friends doing other subjects at university?

Very much so. I think there's always a need for engineers. At the moment we're crying out for them in this country so there are jobs available right now, whereas I have friends who did, for example, accounting at university and they're not working in the sector that they wanted to go into at all. They're working in completely different areas because they couldn't get the jobs they wanted at the end of their course. I think I was in quite a unique position graduating from an engineering degree. It made it not easy to get a job, but a lot easier to get a job in the area I wanted to be in.

Work at an offshore substation (c) Alstom

What is it like working for a big energy firm?

It's great. There are really good opportunities; lots of places you can go and loads of people who have been in the industry for a long time who you can get advice from and learn from. You have lots of opportunities to move around and work on different projects and in different areas with the company. There's a level of flexibility that you wouldn't get with a smaller company.
 
What are you hoping to do after you finish the graduate scheme?

At the moment I am very much interested in commissioning so I'm hoping to go down that path. Commissioning is taking the final product, testing in house before taking it to site, supervising site installation and again testing it to make sure it meets the customers' requirements before you then hand over the project to the customer.
 
What do you like doing when you're not working?

I work with the Army Cadet Force, which is a voluntary youth organisation for kids aged 12 to 18. Having started out as a cadet myself at the age of 12, I have been an adult instructor for the past six years. We do all sorts of activities, including adventure training such as mountain biking, rock climbing and canoeing. It's a lot of fun but a lot of hard work at the same time.

Feeling inspired? If you want to see more clean British energy, ask your MP to support a clean power target now.