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How to succeed in the Renewable Energy industry
The Renewable Energy Institute has been working to promote best practice in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency since 1975. As part of this mission, the Institute is dedicated in using its wealth of experience to support Renewable Energy professionals who are advancing their careers in the sector. “How to succeed in the Renewable Energy industry” is a round up of the Institute’s expert recommendations for your professional development.
1. Keep up with industry news
The Renewable Energy industry is growing rapidly and it is important to have knowledge of the latest developments in order to remain at the cutting edge of the industry. Watching and reading the news is a great way to keep up with major changes in the Renewable Energy industry, and Google Alerts make it easy to receive updates on specific topics, such as Solar Photovoltaics or Wind Power. Expert knowledge is invaluable during projects, interviews and pitches, and identifies you as proficient in the field.
This is far from the only way to keep up to date. Renewable Energy organisations, such as the Renewable Energy Institute, disseminate the latest sector news each day, from announcements of major global directives to national achievements in Renewable Energy. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn feeds make it simple to catch the latest news during your commute, or at convenient times during your day.
Academic journals and websites offer an in-depth technical perspective of developments in the Renewable Energy sector. You are advised to read technical articles, whether you are entering the industry or an established professional. The Energy Learning Journal is a free resource which collates articles from a wide variety of Renewable Energy academics, providing an important overview of opportunities and technological innovations to aid your career development. The Energy Learning Journal is published in parallel with the printed United Nations UNEP-REI-CSG International Special Issue, consisting of research articles written by the important academics who are working with the Institute in the Renewable Energy Industry. For example, some of the latest research presented for the Institute by experts from Imperial College London covers the most recent developments in Compressed air energy storage.
2. Stand out with training and technical knowledge
You must have the latest technical knowledge in order to succeed in the Renewable Energy industry. Training can be difficult for individuals to access due to their busy schedules and inability to leave their jobs for a significant period of time. Therefore, short courses which take place over 1 or 2 days can be an ideal way to improve your renewable energy technical knowledge, without getting in the way of your schedule.
Alternatively, flexible distance learning courses may be more suitable for you to increase your technical knowledge, studying a few hours per week from your location. This method of training has made learning more accessible to participants worldwide who are unable to attend classroom training courses.
Of course, your technical know-how could be completely different from the colleague who sits next to you, so it is important to assess your personal strengths and how you can turn these into opportunities to progress in the Renewable Energy Industry (this also applies if you are looking to enter the sector for the first time). Many professionals build up their technical knowledge as part of their employment; it is important to supplement this knowledge, especially if you are starting your career or wish to change your specialism.
There are also free resources which can be accessed online, in order to supplement your technical Renewable Energy knowledge. Free Renewable Energy resources are an excellent way to learn about regulations and global developments, while accessing more in-depth analysis of your areas of focus.
3. Network, Network, Network
Attending conferences, training programmes and seminars is a great way to meet new people in similar fields to you and an important way of hearing about new opportunities in the sector to advance your Renewable Energy career.
The ability to meet and share ideas with people who are already advanced in the Renewable Energy Industry, or who are in a completely different field to you, can be a very useful way to increase your knowledge and learn about new opportunities. Additionally, these events can provide the chance to interact with renewable energy experts who are at the forefront of their fields and are shaping the growth of the industry.
Add your contacts to your LinkedIn network to provide additional Renewable Energy trends, updates and new opportunities.
4. Update your online profile
It is important to demonstrate your latest achievements (in work and education) on your online profiles. You can use the exposure from your Facebook, Twitter or (most importantly for your career) LinkedIn profiles to showcase your accomplishments and objectives for your Renewable Energy career. This might include displaying your degree, your Galileo Master Certificate (GMC) or any other relevant professional training that you have completed in the Renewable Energy Industry. You should also make sure that your most recent job history, responsibilities and achievements are clearly shown, especially on LinkedIn where Renewable Energy employers are often searching for talented new personnel.
5. Strengthen your Management skills
As you develop through your career, management skills will become an increasingly vital part of your skillset, in any industry. Technical knowledge is usually the focus for professionals in the industry, rather than managerial skills. Neglecting your professional development can make it harder to access managerial positions in the future. As a result, the Renewable Energy Institute offers an Accredited Project Management course designed to help professionals looking to advance in their sector, available both in the classroom and as Distance Learning. This course has received acclaim from past participants as an excellent way to gain management skills and advance your career.
6. Future-proof your career development
The growth of the industry means that Renewable Energy careers are now a long-term development option. How to succeed in the Renewable Energy Industry is therefore a vital question to ask yourself, whatever your job role. As part of this development, you should measure your career progression with the amount of CPD (Continuous Professional Development) hours that you are completing. This is where a body like the Renewable Energy Institute can be invaluable, by providing a benchmark of your progression against your industry peers, as well as offering a point of status and support for professionals in the industry. The Renewable Energy Institute Membership Programme provides levels of Membership for you to work towards as part of your professional development, and also is a source of beneficial industry information and support as you progress your career in the Renewable Energy industry.
Well-rounded knowledge of the main technologies and financial impacts is vital as part of your long-term career plan. To provide this service to professionals in the industry, the Renewable Energy Institute offers the Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award (18-month global programme) which is completely flexible, combining online and classroom study, and is made up of 13 course modules which have been created by leading experts who teach at leading universities.
There are of course a huge variety of topics you can look at, regarding how to succeed in the Renewable Energy Industry, the Renewable Energy Institute works to promote best practice in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and has a large range of resources available for participants wishing to progress their career in the industry. Feel free to browse the resources, or if you can’t find something that is of interest to you, please email training@renewableinstitute.org for advice on further support that we can provide.