Just as the renewable energy industry is booming, so is the demand for skilled, passionate professionals to take us to the next level. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Employment (LCREE) increased by 35.9% between 2012 and 2022. Yet, many people hesitate to explore a career in renewable energy, thinking they lack the necessary background.
The truth is, you don’t need a degree in engineering to thrive in this industry. In fact, you might already have the skills and experience that are in demand across the sector, even if you haven’t realised it yet!
What might a career in renewables look like?
A job in renewables can be highly rewarding. It is purpose-driven work in a sector experiencing massive growth. But when people think of renewable energy careers, they often picture engineers designing wind turbines or scientists developing cutting-edge solar panels.
While these roles are vital, the industryās success depends on a diverse range of professionals, from project managers to data analysts to marketing specialists.
Your skills in fields like IT, finance, education, or project management could make you an ideal candidate for these roles. But what exactly does a career in renewables look like? Read on to find out what you can aim for.
Project Co-ordinator and Portfolio Manager
Suppose you are interested in working in renewables but aren’t sure where to start. In that case, there are few better ways to learn about the whole ecosystem than by working as a project coordinator or portfolio manager.
Project Coordinators work on everything from initial site surveys to final commissioning. You might be coordinating deliveries of solar panels one day and organising community engagement meetings the next. It’s a role that offers incredible variety and the satisfaction of seeing projects progress from paper to power generation. Project Coordinators work under the guidance and supervision of Project Managers, so this is an excellent way to learn the ropes and experience the entire project lifecycle of a solar farm, without needing to jump in at the deep end.
A Portfolio Manager has a similar role but focuses on working with customers and asset owners to make sure everyone gets the best out of the working partnership. You will be the first point of contact for clients, reporting on progress and performance, as well as helping to troubleshoot any issues that pop up. Just like the Project Coordinator, you will get a great overview of how large renewable energy projects are managed and what each stakeholder needs in order to make it a success.
Both roles are great for those with a passion for learning and problem-solving. You also get to work with people from all over the renewable energy industry, so this really is a great gateway to start your renewable energy career before finding your specialism.
Here at Ethical Power, weāve seen people thrive in these roles from all kinds of backgrounds, such as teachers, delivery drivers, and even cleaners, before going on to become valued Project Managers, Site Managers, and more.
SHEQ Advisor
If there is one department that represents a career in renewables, it is Sustainability, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ).
There are more roles in SHEQ than you can shake a (correctly handled) stick at, but the best place to start is with your friendly neighbourhood SHEQ Advisor.
The key responsibility of a SHEQ advisor is quite simple, to help keep everyone safe. This isn’t just about rules and regulations but also improving the working environment and ensuring that both physical and mental health are protected.
Good SHEQ Advisors have a keen eye for detail and enjoy a little detective work, as they conduct site audits, assist with risk assessments, and oversee incident investigations. This is a very dynamic role, and is often split between the office and site locations. Crucially, this is a very social role, and the focus is always on people first, so this role is great for someone who enjoys building relationships!
Environment and Sustainability Advisor
A Sustainability Advisor in the renewable energy sector plays a crucial role in ensuring that projects are designed, built, and operated with the environment in mind. The advisor works closely with project teams to coordinate wildlife surveys and archaeological surveys, work with local authorities for necessary permits, and help time activities like hedgerow removal to avoid disrupting wildlife, such as dormice or birds during their nesting seasons.
As the project progresses, the Sustainability Advisor is deeply involved in overseeing day-to-day operations, such as ensuring proper waste management, spill prevention, and monitoring any ecological impacts. They work with a variety of experts, including ecologists and archaeologists, to ensure the project complies with environmental regulations and does not harm local habitats.
The advisor also develops and maintains a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), which is a living document that guides the team on best practices for environmental protection throughout construction.
Whether itās responding to incidents, conducting site inspections, or coordinating long-term ecological maintenance, the Sustainability Advisor ensures that sustainability remains at the heart of every phase of the project. It’s a role that combines a passion for nature with the opportunity to contribute to the growth of renewable energy, making a real difference in the transition to a greener future.
Geospatial Analyst
One unsung hero of any good renewable energy developer is the humble map. However, the kind of maps used in the best solar developments are anything but humble.
While you can place solar panels almost anywhere, a truly great solar farm needs to be located somewhere with ideal topography, proximity to infrastructure, and distance from sensitive ecological and cultural areas. Finding these sites involves a nuanced and creative use of geographic information systems (GIS).
At Ethical Power, we use ArcGIS for a lot more than site selection, and someone who is familiar with geospatial software will enjoy the opportunity to have a real impact on how we roll out renewable energy in a sustainable and just way.
Monitoring and PerformanceĀ
Renewable energy isn’t just about building solar farms, it is also about making sure they operate at peak performance. Two of the core pillars of effective Operations and Maintenance are data and security.
In order to make sure a renewable energy asset is fully optimised, you need to be able to parse and interpret large volumes of data. A market-leading 24/7 monitoring room like ours may receive upwards of a million data points each hour. Understanding this data is crucial to spot problems and recommend solutions.
Those with a background or passion for IT suit this role well, and you will be able to gain experience in data analysis and procedural troubleshooting. Our team monitors assets all over the world in our 24-hour control centre, so a role like this is also great for those night owls amongst you!
Making use of data is important, but ensuring the asset is secure and site teams are safe is the number one priority for our CCTV monitoring team. Secure sites will have dozens of CCTV cameras positioned carefully so as to remove any blind spots and give the CCTV team the perfect angles to identify any unauthorised visitors.
In this role, you will operate on the front line of renewable energy generation, coordinating and providing a rapid response to any incident or anomaly on site.Ā A team like ours could include people with law enforcement and emergency services backgrounds, but this is a great role for anyone looking to help protect renewable energy assets and the people who work on them.
The transition to renewable energy is one of the defining challenges of our time, and we need a diverse team to make it happen. Whether you’re starting your career or looking for a change, your skills could be exactly what we need.
At Ethical Power, we’re unique in having all capabilities under one roof – from development and construction to operations and maintenance. This means unprecedented opportunities to learn, grow, and make a real impact on the future of energy.
If youāre interested in a career in renewable energy, we encourage you to explore the possibilities that lie ahead. You can check out our current opportunities on our careers page or get in touch with our talent team to learn more.