Why choose a career in the energy industry
Sustainability is a steadily growing field worldwide, with most renewable energy jobs concentrated in China, Brazil, the United States, India, Germany and Japan. Energy efficiency is a top policy priority and electric vehicles are already on the streets. Let’s look at more reasons why you should consider a career in the sector.
The three Ds of modern power (digitalization, decarbonisation and decentralization) are shaping the energy landscape in Europe — and there is a huge job to be done. We have seen an enormous shift from heavy industry to the services industry and changes in habit in energy consumption should now also follow.
In the case of Germany, after large factories closed in traditional industrial areas like the Ruhr, services centres and business hubs moved in and developed instead. The energy industry needs to adapt to this transition. It’s not a straightforward job, as Europe’s energy infrastructure is large and long established. So it’s much harder to refocus an existing system than to design one from scratch as developing nations have been doing. Huge investments are underway across Europe with more funding coming in all the time.
Decarbonisation is about climate, primary fuel supplies and electrification. If we look at Germany again, its Energiewende policy made it an early leader in decarbonisation. In May 2017 German power needs were almost entirely met by wind and solar (even if only for a few months). Surely, Germany and Europe still have a very long way to go.
Of course, progress brings new risks. A society and economy that depend on electricity supplied by a highly complex, digitalized set of decentralized energy systems opens itself up to issues like cybercrime or systemic failure. It raises the critical role of security which will also have to be resolved.
Taking into account all of the above, this is where your new job opportunity may come from. You don’t necessarily need a STEM degree to work in energy and just as in any other rapidly growing industry, there is high demand for experienced professionals in management, sales, IT, HR and support. Depending on the region you’d like to work in and the growth opportunities, you might consider looking at different sectors within the industry.
According to the IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2018 global renewable energy employment reached 10.3 million jobs worldwide in 2017, a growth of 5.3%. The solar energy sector is the biggest employer, with 3.4% job. It continues to grow in China and India, but has been shrinking in the United States, Japan and the EU. Liquid biofuels and large hydropower sectors are also growing fast. One report says that the fastest-growing profession in the US is wind turbine technician. It also suggests that 46% of large firms have hired additional workers to address issues of sustainability over the past two years.
Moreover, working in the energy industry nowadays may bring extra job satisfaction, knowing that you’re doing your bit to improve the environment and help deal with climate change.
