Are you looking to start a career in the energy industry or seeking career success while considering a shift to sectors like renewable energy?
Each year the energy sector grows and that growth is expected to continue. While this means more opportunities, there are more people looking to fill those rolls.
To succeed in this profession you need to be able to prove yourself and develop a strong network.
These 11 top tips will help you learn what to do and what to look out for so you can stand out in the crowd.
1. Start with STEM
If you’re just starting out in the energy industry, focus your education on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This might mean pursuing an engineering degree or seeking extra mathematics courses to show your skills.
This tip is very important to the renewable energy sector, where STEM skills are highly sought after.
2. Stay on Top of Industry Trends
The energy industry is always evolving, from the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, a rise in digitalization, and an ongoing need for efficiency improvements.
Being able to market yourself, is a lot easier if you know the companies trends and where the industry is headed.
Ask yourself, what technology is shaping the industry? Are there skills that you need to obtain to ensure you can stay competitive? What certifications will help you to stand out among your peers and demonstrate your passion for your work?
Stay informed by reading trade publications, listening to energy podcasts, following government reports, and exploring industry articles.
Stay curious. Presumably, the energy industry is something you’re already interested in, and this is another way to broaden your interests.
3. Develop a Toolbox of Skills
Skills toolboxes are often discussed when offering job advice to people attempting to get their first energy job. However, making sure your skills match your position shouldn’t be overlooked.
Technical and soft skills are the foundation of a career. Technical skills you can obtain through training or learn them from attending school.
They are easily quantifiable and highly transferable. Examples would be being able to read blueprints, use AutoCAD, or repair a wind turbine.
However, never underestimate the soft skills. These are skills that reflect how you work with others (teamwork and leadership), how you structure your day (working independently), and your own personality (persistence).
Many employers will train you in technical skills if you already have strong soft skills. Technical ability matters less if you lack teamwork or independence.
4. Build a Strong Professional Network
Skills are important, but who you know can matter just as much.
Building a strong and professional network specific to the energy industry can help you learn more about companies you would like to work for and find opportunities to get your name to potential employers.
There are two ways of networking, online and offline, and both have positives and negatives.
Online networking is connecting through social media sites like Linkedin, joining industry-related message boards, and pursuing conversations in interest groups can be beneficial.
This form of networking allows you to connect at your own pace, either passively by reading others’ posts or actively by reaching out to connect with future employers or other job seekers.
Offline or in-person networking involves attending energy events like job recruitment fairs and industry conferences, which exist to help people network.
Conferences specific to certifications or titles can be great tools for networking since it allows others to associate your name with a qualification they might want later on in their company’s future.
5. Learn and Understand Regulations and Compliance
Compliance with relevant regulations and standards is a critical part of keeping the energy sector safe. However, these regulations can be complex, numerous, and sometimes complicated.
Regulations can be broken down into:
- Industry-specific: Regulations that specifically apply to the energy industry or your workplace. These can be hazard identification, control measures, and safety management systems.
- Geographic: Laws and regulations that apply to where you live and work that may be different from other states or countries. These could be permits that need to be pulled before work can be started or licensing requirements for installers and technicians.
- Regulatory bodies: Safety regulations are often put into place and enforced by federal agencies such as the Environmental Protectional Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and industry and professional associations.
All of these regulations regarding regulations and compliance in the U.S. energy sector can be usually be found through government websites or through information given out by professional associations.
Many present guidelines for completing jobs while others enforce strict conditions for working that employers need to follow.
Learning and understanding these regulations can set you up for success, especially if you’re seeking a managerial position.
Of course, they are important to know for your own sake and to keep you safe, but employers often appreciate having employees that don’t have to be told when they’re doing something against regulation.
6. Gain Hands-On Experience
If you’re looking to get your first energy job, getting hands-on experience might be the most difficult part.
Many employers are willing to do some of the training for their employees but require them to have practical experience first as a foundation.
Post-secondary education can be a good place to start. Recognized programs often include hands-on experience during instruction and either an internship or work practicum to round out the end of the course.
A connected school can often offer its students a chance to meet important people in the industry through these experiences and set the student up for success in networking.
A business that knows the school trains good workers is likelier to hire someone from that school.
However, if you already have an energy job and you’re looking to switch to renewable energy or change energies, getting hands-on experience might be more difficult.
Internships, apprenticeships, and fieldwork might be easier for new energy workers, but current employees can reach out to their department heads and express their interest in cross-training as a form of departmental collaboration.
This form of training gives you practical experience and strengthens bonds between departments.
7. Master Energy Economics and Business Strategy
Energy economics is the understanding of the energy lifecycle, including supply and demand. This cycle includes how energy is produced, distributed, and consumed.
Whether through a degree in energy management or a specialization in the field, working knowledge of this area can make you a more valuable asset.
It could lead to a position looking at environmental impact or how energy markets are affected by change nationally and internationally.
8. Be Open to Global and Remote Opportunities
While not everyone can move for a new job, being able to take remote and global opportunities can open the job market.
Energy, both fossil fuels and renewable have job openings all over the world. Taking on an international role might mean working with global energy policies or working offshore on an oil and gas rig.
This allowance for change gives workers the opportunity to explore the world while working in the energy sector.
A career in global energy gives you the opportunity to learn languages, and experience international markets provided you are flexible enough to relocate.
9. Prioritize Safety and Sustainability
In addition to knowing local and federal safety regulations, ensure you train in best practices and ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) initiatives.
These initiatives include resource management to control the use of water and energy while reducing waste, community engagement, and accountability.
Other sustainability initiatives include addressing emissions and adapting practices to reduce carbon emissions.
10. Strengthen your digital and data skills
The future of energy is digital! That saying has become the tagline for conferences, articles, and organizations.
And it’s true! Between the growth of AI, automation, and the rise in smart grids in energy management, digitalization now plays an important role in how those in the industry interact with day-to-day processes.
Career success in the energy industry as data becomes more relevant might mean learning data analytics, understanding energy modeling software, and taking courses in cybersecurity basics.
Strengthening your digital and data skills means staying open-minded to new technologies and understanding how they work with your present or future job prospects.
11. Cultivate Resilience and Adaptability
As the rest of this list shows, the energy industry is constantly changing at all levels.
Governmental policy can change quickly, shifting industry funding or priorities depending on the focus placed on the environment.
At the same time, market fluctuations can shift what is important to the industry locally, and technological disruptions are constant.
To combat this, develop a growth mindset and embrace change rather than rallying against it. Change in the industry may be an opportunity to grow your skills or step towards changing positions.
Which leads to proactively seeking new opportunities. A change in trends or policy might be the spark needed to enter into the energy industry.
Conclusion
As these top tips show, there are plenty of ways to increase your chance for career success in the energy sector.
Investing time in learning about the industry, continuing to develop your skills toolkit to match up with job listings, and networking can help your career whether you’re new to the energy sector or a seasoned professional.
Above all, stay curious, be proactive, and stay engaged in your career growth.
