Is Energy a Good Career Path?

There is no aspect of your life that energy does not touch. There is a hike in technological advancements, so energy as a career is needed in every sphere of our lives. It is also a prestigious career path because, aside from the pay, you would be well-respected in society.

A career in energy brings you to a diverse range of jobs and opportunities. You could create and help people either directly or indirectly in their daily lives. To successfully pursue a career in energy, you must be a great problem solver and adept at optimizing workflows.

To go towards energy as a career, you must have at least a postgraduate degree. However, not all students must have a postgraduate degree. Some institutions run programs on energy that allow you to progress into the energy field.

Energy, especially engineering, is a relatively new field that focuses on developing technologies that are both better for the environment and more efficient in the energy they produce.

Energy engineers are also responsible for auditing energy production and enforcing environmental laws and regulations to ensure processes are compliant. With a career path in energy, you could be open to different systems like:

Green buildings
Energy-efficient lighting
HVAC systems
Energy procurement
Air quality
Wind or solar plant

What Skills Do you need for Energy as a Good Career Path?

It does not cut it to simply wanting to pursue a career in energy. You must know the skills you need to succeed in your career path. Some of the technical skills you would need are:

3D modeling
Energy auditing
AutoCAD (Computer-Aided Design)
Renewable Energy System Design Software
Energy simulation

Other computer programming skills

Project management skills
Mathematical skills
Creative problem-solving skills

Above all else, the soft skills you would require are:

Problem-solving skills
Communication skills
Management skills

The skill to understand energy markets and trends in the industry

Adaptation skills
Ability to learn quickly

What is Needed for Energy as a Good Career Path?

As with all successful careers, the first step you should take is getting the education you need. As an energy engineer, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in energy engineering.

Depending on your selected career path, you may be required to have more than a degree. You should your education and get a higher degree such as a master’s or even a Ph.D. Moving on from education, you would be required to get hands-on experience working in energy.

After your education, you would need to earn a professional energy engineering license.

The details of the licensing depend on your state or where you live, but you would likely need to prove you have a degree, a certain amount of experience working in the energy field, and also a substantial level of education if you’re going to be very successful.

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What Can I Do with a Career in Energy?

To successfully pursue a career in energy, you should know what your everyday job description looks like. Even though it deals with a lot of calculations, surveys, site inspections, and research, the other responsibilities that could fall under your domain in your energy career path are:

Establish energy use benchmarks according to local or global regulations
Research greenhouse gas reduction
Research and present information on energy conservation projects
Calculate energy savings and performance changes when modifying a system
Work with engineers on drawings and reports when related to energy consumption and savings
To implement energy conservation programs and management tools

Who needs a Person with a Career Path in Energy?

It’s possible to say everyone, and this would be reasonable because we need energy in our day-to-day lives. The opportunities for a career path in energy are quite a lot, and you could even work anywhere. However, mostly, those with a career path in energy are found in:

Companies focused on sustainability or conservation projects: Any company that has to do with company and gas needs you to ensure the improvement of consumption, ensure that the energy is conserved and that they stay environmentally compliant. This means you could work in companies like BP, Exxon Mobil, and Shell, among others.

Government: This may come as a surprise, but yes. Governments do need energy to successfully comply with new regulations made worldwide and also for state purposes. With a career in energy, you can work with the government, gearing towards leading, advising, and running projects.

Is Energy as a Career in Demand?

Yes. The future of energy is developing every day; as drastic changes are being made to the global energy landscape. This is good news for energy engineers as jobs are multiplying. With a career in energy, you can be found everywhere that has a power source attached.

In addition, you can work directly on an oil rig, or anywhere the oil is refined. You can also work at an electrical energy pylon, the electrical grid, and anywhere else other forms of energy are being created or harnessed.

Unfortunately, the world is still faced with the problem of global warming. Being one of the major global issues in the world and with its effect being noticeable as each day passes, a career in energy is needed to ensure that countries step up on their clean energy protocols. With a career in energy, you can properly advise them to invest in solar, geothermal, and wind energy. With this, you can even help create more jobs for people who will delve into the energy sector.

In addition, the price for clean energy has also fallen, hence causing an increase in the adaptation of clean energy methods. This has also gone a long way to increase the number of career opportunities for anyone who wants to go into energy, especially energy engineers.

A career in energy is not going anywhere soon. It comes with it the need to store and generate all kinds of clean energy, and the importance of this cannot be overemphasized.

What are the Best Paying Jobs in Energy?

If you are about to consider a career path in energy, of course, you should know what the best-paying jobs in energy are, to help you make the right choice. The best-paying jobs in energy are:

Drilling supervisor

Drill operations on oil rigs are taken care of by drilling supervisors. They are to supervise operations and ensure that the operations are completed on time. Drilling supervisors are paid at least $150,500 in the U.S.

Wind farm site manager

Wind farm site managers maintain large spans of land. They ensure that the wind farm stays productive and staff remains busy. Wind farm site managers are paid on average $105,000 in the US.

Green construction manager

The green construction managers plan, budget, and coordinate construction projects. They oversee the business side, the basics, and the newer technology included in modern green projects. Green construction managers are paid on average $91,500 in the U.S.

Geoscientist

Geoscientists are in great demand, mostly in the oil and gas industry. They find potential fuel resources both in the land and sea. They are important in every energy sector. Geoscientists are paid on average $91,000 in the U.S.

Financial analyst for renewable energy companies

A financial analyst for renewable energy companies is required to carry out analyses of investments, calculate the returns from these investments, and market their services. Financial analysts are paid on average $85,000 in the U.S.

Solar project developer

A lot of countries and companies are constantly taking on solar projects. The purpose of a solar project developer is to ensure that the growing solar projects are handled with care. Each project takes a sizable amount of planning because of the needed permits and connecting to the grid. Solar project developers are paid at least $84,000 in the US.

Solar power plant operator

Once solar energy installations are set up, the solar power plant operators are needed to ensure that the solar energy installation is up and running. They are paid at least $85,000

Solar project manager

All solar installations require construction/project managers to ensure smooth operation. The role of a solar project manager includes ensuring the schedule is correct and organizing staff so that the proper tasks are completed at the right time. Solar project managers are paid on average $83,000 in the US.

Renewable energy consultant

Renewable energy consultants are tasked with dealing with clients and advising them on the best energy options and solutions for them. Renewable energy consultants are paid on average $82,500 in the U.S.

Scientific researcher

Solar energy has seen the biggest increase in demand for research in the development of extremely efficient electric vehicle batteries and scientific researchers do this. They are paid at least $70,000 in the U.S.

Conclusion

The energy industry is growing constantly. You should check the skills necessary for you to succeed in your chosen field. Put all your heart into it to be successful in this career path.

Is Energy a Good Career Path?

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