As scientists and leaders around the globe commit to promises of combating climate change and transforming our energy consumption, the energy sector is rapidly changing to meet demands.
There’s never been a better time to join the energy industry, with new careers and employment opportunities appearing every day. Below we explore why now is the time to join the energy industry and provide several reasons on why a role in the sector could lead to new career highlights.
Why is now the best time to find a job in the energy sector?
Many career paths are impacted by external factors and in many cases, success is determined by what is happening in the outside world. During the pandemic, for example, the hospitality sector struggled and many employees in that industry felt that in their own role.
The energy sector, however, is currently at the heart of an ongoing and critical issue. Climate change is headline news nearly every day and during the current cost-of-living crisis in many countries across Europe, the subject of energy consumption and production is commonplace.
It should come as no surprise then that the energy sector is currently witnessing a transformation, one which is driving interest in roles across the industry.
Here are some reasons on why now is a great time to consider a role in the energy sector, plus tips on how that role might lead to long-term career success.
1. Innovative, progressive industry
While some industries may struggle to drive forward progress and innovation, the energy industry represents a field that is always looking to evolve and improve. As renewable energy has come to the forefront, there’s an increasing number of specialist, high-paying roles focused on driving innovation within the energy sector.
When we consider concepts such as Energy from Waste (EfW) and Anaerobic Digestion, both of which are core elements of the renewable energy movement, it’s easy to see why there are so many opportunities available.
This does mean that the work often requires creative thinking, problem solving and optimisation. While these are natural, transferable skills for some people, others may struggle.
That said, if you’re looking for a role that makes the most of advancements in technology and requires specialist, niche knowledge, energy has a number of different potential routes you can take.
2. High-demand role
The energy sector – renewable energy in particular – is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. As the need for renewable energy sources and sustainability grows, so does the need for employees that can make these plans come to fruition.
It’s expected that by 2030, the number of jobs making up the renewable energy sector could increase to 24 million – triple the number it is today.
This provides an opportunity to learn, specialise and invest in a career path that will only grow in both size and value. For early adopters, this is the chance to start carving out a niche that benefits from a rising number of professionals in the sector.
Aside from providing job security, this incredible demand also ensures that there’s plenty of variety to choose from in terms of employers or clients.
How to Get a Job in the Energy Sector
3. Varied work environment
While the work environment you operate in largely depends on your role and skill set, the energy sector is able to offer a range of different working environments for employees. Technicians, for example, may find themselves outdoors for the majority of the time, working on various pieces of equipment across the country.
Research-led roles, on the other hand, may operate in labs or other academic settings that allow them to experiment and think creatively in terms of energy solutions.
It’s this diversity and variance that makes the sector so interesting for many people – you never really know where you might be working from one day to the next. For people that crave variety and want a role that isn’t based in the same office 24/7, this can be a blessing.
In most cases, employees within the sector work full-time, with the addition of evenings and weekends depending on your role. This may suit some people who seek something outside of the standard 9 – 5, although it may be a consideration for individuals that have external considerations. As you’d imagine, the demands of running the energy supply for a large proportion of the country can have an effect on working times.
4. Higher salaries
Salary is a critical part of why someone might choose to specialise in a niche field such as energy. If we consider that the median average salary in the UK – this being the line between the highest and lowest paid workers – is £25,971, jobs in the energy sector command a higher wage.
Median wages is often used to provide a more accurate representation of the average wage of a larger demographic, as it removes the outliers at both ends of the scale – this being the extremely well-paid and those being under-paid.
When we look at the kind of salaries you can expect within the energy sector, we find some interesting results. A wind turbine technician, for example, can expect to earn higher than £31,000 as a baseline, whereas a maintenance engineer working in anaerobic digestion may command upwards of £60,000.
While this type of work is typically much more specialised, there’s often the compensation to go alongside that increased responsibility and requisite knowledge.
You can view the roles we have available in the energy sector here.
5. Job satisfaction
Not many other industries can say they have the potential impact that the energy sector does. The work that the industry does today may have long-lasting repercussions on the future, helping pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable way of living.
For many people, this offers a higher degree of job satisfaction that they might not find elsewhere. This in itself is often a massive reason for why people choose to work in the energy industry and represents a key element of why people join the industry and remain there for a long time.