Student Pathways

Why Choose Energy

For most people, jobs in the energy industry become careers. Those careers become professions of passion. Project teams become family. For some, those are reasons enough to consider an energy career. For those who need more convincing, consider the energy sector has careers that fulfill a variety of professional interests.

Want to work outside with your hands in a skilled trade position – fixing, building, or repairing things? Check! We’ve got lots of those opportunities. Drawn to the environment and opportunities to impact its future? Another check. What about finding solutions for things that don’t even exist yet, solving some of the industry’s most complex challenges? We certainly have you covered there! Technical positions? Business operations? Entrepreneurial challenges? An industry that supports diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments? Check. Check. Check. Check. Oh, and did we mention, the industry pays well? Really well.

Types of Jobs

Careers in Nuclear

Careers in Electric

Careers in Natural Gas

Careers in Renewable Energy

Business Careers in Energy

Things to Study

There are a lot of educational paths you can take to pursue an energy career. Generally, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classes will serve you well for any of our technical careers, as they require an understanding of how and why things work. For those looking to start work right out of high school or after earning a GED, the industry offers entry level positions that provide all the training you will need to advance your career. For those who want to join the industry after a two- or four- year college program, you, too, have a lot of paths to consider. The industry is always in need of engineers of all types. We need those who study environmental science, energy (of course), natural and sustainable resources, even marine biology, supply chain management, cyber-security, and infrastructure systems. Check out schools that offer energy-related programs here and learn how to start energy career right after high school here

Scholarships

schools

Cutting-edge STEM trends

Check out some of the latest STEM trends in the energy industry that are propelling us forward to a smart energy future:

Growth of electric cars

According to some statistics, electric cars are reaching an annual growth rate of about 40%. If that pace continues, electric cars could account for one in every five vehicle sales in the United States by 2025!

We already expect nearly a dozen new types of electric cars to hit the market over the next three years. Add to this the viability of fuel-cell electric vehicles being tested in places like California — a state that has a Zero Emission Vehicle program requiring automakers to sell a certain amount of electric cars and trucks — and you could be cruising longer without refueling.

More smart meters

Smart meters measure electricity, water, and gas consumption and communicate this information to the utility that serves the home or business. The installation of these devices in the residential and commercial sectors can help in lowering CO2 emissions by reducing the use of electricity during the busiest, or “peak,” times of day.

Increase of distributed generation

If you take the two words separately, you’ll get a better idea of what distributed generation means: “Distributed” (divided, dealt, or doled out) and “generation” (in terms of energy, this means creating electricity). So distributed generation means making electricity available at various locations, typically closer to the consumer. Think solar rooftops on houses or diesel backup generators.

Electricity from volcanoes

Geothermal energy uses heat below the earth’s surface to create electricity. But what about the heat created when molten rock and lava meet? This can create 10 times more geothermal energy! It’s already being done in Iceland, and Hawaii is exploring it as a source of renewable energy.

Nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is being researched in many countries as a viable, future energy source. The fusion of hydrogen atoms to release energy is what powers the sun. If our technology can harness this process safely and efficiently, nuclear fusion could offer a potentially endless source of energy.

Where are STEM skills needed?

Check out these examples of key STEM skills and the kinds of amazing things they can help you achieve in the real world.

Science skills

Research scientists focus on asking questions like, “How can we generate energy more efficiently?” They then create investigations to look at ways to improve how we create energy, and more. Power plant operators manage the operation of power plants by observing all of the aspects of the plant and then make adjustments to ensure everything is running smoothly, as well as to optimize energy use and generation. Plant technicians use observations about systems within the plant to ensure that all systems are operating efficiently and effectively. Technicians run tests or experiments to ensure that the systems are in working order and that any new components behave as expected.

Technology skills

Network architects build the systems that allow information about when and how energy is needed to reach all parts of the energy grid. Information networks carry the data that analysts use to make assessments and that engineers need to improve our energy grid. Lineworkers, technicians, and others working out in the field use technology to pinpoint issues in the system and to make appropriate, effective repairs and improvements.

Engineering skills

Engineers of all varieties, from those who specialize in field work or electricity generation, to those who design, build, and maintain power plants, all use the engineering design process to help them identify how to grow and improve our energy grid. Engineers, operators, and even researchers look at parts of our energy system and ask questions about how to make it more effective. They create and test new innovations that will change the way we distribute and use energy in the years to come. Operator mechanics use their engineering-based mechanical skills to understand and oversee areas of a plant or grid that they are charged with operating on a day-to-day basis. This allows them to solve problems related to their area quickly and effectively.

Math skills

Energy analysts use trends in data related to the energy use of consumers to predict how much energy we’ll need in the short-term and long-term future. Technicians in the field solve problems like power outages by analyzing the data presented to them by their tools, and then following a logical progression to identify issues and use the more effective method to fix them. Meter technicians take careful measurements from the wide variety of meters that measure every aspect of the power grid. They then collect, analyze, and respond to the data to ensure that every aspect of the grid is working effectively.

Get Into Energy

The energy industry is home to hundreds of kinds of meaningful, important, and essential, well-paying careers. There are jobs for thinkers and tinkerers, outdoor enthusiasts and office specialists, those who are wowed by drones and digitalization, engineers and environmentalists, those who like heights and those who want to work below the earth’s surface, and athletes and mathletes. Find your path and discover why people who start in energy careers stay in energy careers.

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