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Energy and Utilities

Research careers and find opportunities in energy and utilities.

About

The energy and utilities sector has a wide range of opportunities available to students and graduates, whether in large international companies or small organisations developing specialist technology.

On this page, you can find information and advice on careers in:

  • Renewable energy - wind, marine, wave and hydroelectric power, solar, and bioenergy
  • Nuclear
  • Oil and gas
  • Utilities - power generators, distributors and suppliers and water companies

In 2022, UK businesses generated an estimated £69.4 billion in low carbon and renewable energy economy turnover, a £15.2 billion (28.0%) increase since 2021. Employment was estimated at 272,400 full-time equivalent employees.

Office for National Statistics

The energy industry has historically been dominated by the use of fossil fuels. The impact of climate change has, however, accelerated the need to develop alternative clean, sustainable sources of energy and find ways to capture and store carbon.

The UK Government's Clean Power 2030 Action plan emphasizes the importance of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and nuclear, in achieving the UK's transition to clean power by 2030.

You may also be interested in our Environment pages, which includes advice on careers in environmental management and consultancy, conservation, sustainability and waste management/recycling. Also see Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geomatics and Construction.

Roles and skills

Many large companies offer graduate training schemes, particularly in the nuclear, oil and gas and utilities industries.

Technical job profiles

Have a look at Prospects and targetjobs to find out what roles in this sector involve and how to get into them.

Examples of the type of technical roles found across most sectors of the energy industry include:

You can find more examples of specialist technical roles below.

Renewable energy

Nuclear

Oil and gas

Utilities

Commercial job profiles

Have a look at Prospects and targetjobs to find out what roles in this sector involve and how to get into them. Examples of commercial careers include:

You can also find opportunities in policy, law and regulation.

Skills employers look for

Employers in this sector are looking for skills including:

  • an ability to project manage, prioritise tasks, meet deadlines and work with minimum supervision
  • leadership and the ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams
  • a logical and methodical approach to problem-solving
  • an ability to research, analyse and communicate complex technical data to others
  • flexibility and willingness to work outdoors, offshore, or overseas

For some roles, such as geochemist and hydrologist, a relevant postgraduate qualification may be preferred. See our Further Study for information on finding, choosing and funding further study.

Salaries

Starting salaries for graduate jobs in this sector can vary depending on the position.

To get an idea of typical starting salaries use the following resources:

For information about how to negotiate a salary, visit Handling job offers.

Be inspired

It’s not always easy to know which roles to apply for. The resources in this section can help you find inspiration from previous students and know where to get further support.

Inspiration from people working in the industry
  • browse our Work Experience and Graduate Employment directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed
  • use LinkedIn’s Alumni tool to find out what Newcastle graduates are doing now. You could ask to connect with them, to gain advice and insights into their career. See Newcastle Alumni on LinkedIn to help you get started or watch our quick tutorial on Getting inspiration from others [3:13]
  • attend alumni events, such as Newcastle Develop, to hear directly from our graduates
  • sign up for mentoring support with Graduate Mentor and The 1 Hour Project. These aim to match students with industry professionals who can provide invaluable insights. Register to be connected for a one-hour meeting
  • attend events, including recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights. Hear about graduate jobs, placement schemes, build your network and ask questions
Online reviews

Searching for reviews online can be a useful way to get an idea of what to expect from certain roles or employers. Reviews are written by employees with different opinions about what makes a good employer.

Use the following review sites for inspiration and insight into the recruitment process:

Not sure what you want to do?

If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, we can help. You can book a guidance appointment via MyCareer. Our careers consultants can help you explore your options or plan your career.

Explore career planning advice
Making career choices
Exploring your options

Sector and industry insights

Researching the industry is essential, whether it’s to:

  • help you decide which area to work in
  • identify who to apply to
  • tailor your application
  • impress an interviewer with your knowledge of the sector

Here are some resources to help you get started:

Career guides

Read career guides for this sector, such as:

Renewable energy

Nuclear

Oil and gas

Utilities

Industry news

Use online magazines and journals to follow news from your industry. Reading about trends and developments is important for applications and interviews.

Examples include:

Attend events

Attend events to hear directly from professionals in the industry.

Newcastle University students can access free membership to the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), which includes access to sustainability events and networking opportunities

Attend events including our recruitment events and employer & sector insights.

Student societies

Join relevant student societies, such as Engineering Projects Society

Social media

Use social media to find industry insights

Join sector-specific groups on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Posts often include news, events and opportunities. You can also find useful insights on careers on Twitter and TikTok. Treat these with caution, as not all content may be accurate.

Find out more about how to use social media for your career.

Professional bodies

Consider joining a relevant professional body/industry network

Professional bodies often:

  • run networking events
  • have specialist groups you could join
  • post vacancies on behalf of their members
  • have member directories, useful for speculative applications

See key organisations below.

Professional societies/institutes

Research councils and research centres

Sector skills councils/industry associations

Intergovernmental and not-for-profit organisations

Finding professional bodies worldwide

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of professional bodies. Find them under ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each individual country guide.

Guide to finding opportunities

Finding a job in the energy industry is competitive.

Relevant work experience is invaluable in developing expertise. It helps show motivation and commitment to this area of work.

There are various ways to find internships, placements and graduate opportunities. We’ve added some tips below to help you get started.

  • search for advertised vacancies using the vacancy sites listed below
  • look at the careers sections on company websites for student and graduate opportunities. Use Researching Employers to help you gain insights into companies
  • attend events such as recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights
  • contact employers speculatively – see non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs to help you find organisations to approach
  • follow companies on social media for latest news and updates
  • consider registering with a recruitment agency for graduate jobs
  • register with EmployAbility if you are disabled, neurodivergent or have a mental health condition. They can offer advice and support on applications to Newcastle students. They also run first year, internship and graduate programmes with inclusive employer partners
  • ask family and friends if they have any useful contacts who may be able to offer you work experience
  • consider alternative ways to find relevant experience and develop your skills
  • create your own opportunity by starting your own business or working freelance

You can also read The Geological Society's advice on finding work experience and placements.

Advertised work experience

Placements and summer internships are usually aimed at undergraduate students in and above their second or penultimate year of study. Some companies will also consider first and final year students.

Some examples of companies that offer placements and/or summer internships include:

Work experience opportunities with smaller companies are not always advertised. You may need to contact the employer with a speculative approach.

When to apply

Many large engineering companies, particularly in the power and oil and gas sectors, advertise summer or year-long placements early in the first semester.

These are usually aimed at students in and above their second year of study. Applications open early in the autumn and closing dates are usually between November and March.

Search for internships and placement years

Use our resources to get started:

Search the following external sites for more opportunities

  • Gradcracker
  • Cogent - advertises placements and internships, including in nuclear and renewables
  • IAESTE - work placements for engineering and science students (England is a non-member country, but it's still possible for students studying in non-member countries to apply)
  • RISE Germany - summer internship program for undergraduate science or engineering students to undertake research in Germany.
  • RISE Professional - summer research internships in Germany for Master’s and PhD students at companies and research institutions. Depending on the internship, recent graduates may also be eligible.

Professional bodies and research councils also advertise opportunities. See Sector and industry insights for a list of organisations.

For more advice, read targetjobs' Engineering work experience: a beginner's guide.

NCL internships

The Careers Service runs flexible term-time and summer internships with local employers and on campus. NCL internships are aimed at all students, from any stage.

Search for these under Vacancies on MyCareer. Type in ‘NCL internship’ into the text search box.

You can find these advertised throughout the academic year. Full-time summer opportunities are advertised from around March.

The Sustainability Team at Newcastle sometimes offer NCL internships to current students. They have also offered support for sustainability dissertations and funding for relevant projects.

Worldwide experience

Access GoinGlobal for internships in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:

  • additional vacancy websites
  • CV, application and interview advice
  • advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world
Looking for ideas

If you’re looking for inspiration, try searching our NU Work Experience Directory.

You can see where our students have had internships and placements in the last five years. To see all results in a search category, keep the search field blank.

Advertised graduate opportunities

Roles within energy and utilities can be found across a broad range of sectors, including industry, local and national government, academia, NGOS and charity and voluntary organisations.

Several large employers offer structured graduate programmes, typically lasting 1 - 2 years. For example, EDF offer a renewables commercial graduate programme and one in nuclear science and engineering.

Smaller companies often don’t advertise opportunities. It’s worth contacting them with a speculative approach - see the section on finding companies below to help you get started.

When to apply

The resources in this section advertise both graduate jobs and graduate schemes. See our graduate jobs page to understand the difference between them.

For graduate schemes, apply as early as possible.

UK applications typically open early in the academic year from September or October. Some close as early as November-December. Many employers close applications as soon as their places are filled.

Graduate jobs tend to be immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.

Vacancy sites

Use the following resources to get started:

Professional bodies and research councils also advertise graduate positions. See sector and industry insights for a list of organisations.

Renewable energy vacancy sites
Nuclear vacancy sites
Oil and gas vacancy sites
Utilities vacancy sites
Worldwide vacancy sites

Access GoinGlobal for job adverts in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:

  • additional vacancy websites
  • CV, application and interview advice
  • advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world

See International jobs for details of more overseas vacancy sites.

Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs

Not all internships, placements and graduate jobs are advertised. In fact, many people create opportunities through:

A speculative approach is common for finding work experience and graduate jobs. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available.

How to access hidden opportunities

Start by identifying organisations you are interested in. Our guide to finding organisations below can help. Then use the following steps to approach them speculatively about possible opportunities:

  1. identify a contact name to address your cover letter to. Call or email to find out who handles recruitment within the organisation. Or, find a key contact in the department you want to work in
  2. send them a tailored CV and cover letter. Express your enthusiasm for the sector. Show that you have researched the company
  3. follow up your speculative application with a phone call, or email, around a week later. This shows you are serious and motivated
  4. if your application was unsuccessful, ask for feedback or advice, and keep trying!
When to contact organisations

You can use this approach at any point in the year. We recommend that you:

  • start your research as early as possible to gather relevant contacts
  • contact organisations around three months before you want the opportunity to begin
How to find organisations

North East Organisations

UK Organisations

All sectors

Renewables

Nuclear

Oil and gas

  • FuelsEurope - members range from multi-national oil and gas companies to companies with alternative fuels interests
  • Global Underwater Hub - member directory and links to professional bodies/associations who work in the subsea industry, including marine renewables and oil and gas
  • Rigzone: featured employers

Utilities

Professional bodies and research councils often include member directories. See Sector and industry insights for a list of organisations.

Worldwide organisations

Specialist recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies can be useful for finding graduate jobs. These tend to be for immediate start positions. It's worth registering with one or two agencies towards the end of your course.

Specialist agencies include:

  • Allen-York - opportunities in environment, renewable energy, waste and recycling, and energy services
  • Acre - environment and sustainability recruitment service
  • Utility People
  • NES Fircroft - includes vacancies in renewable energy, power, nuclear, water treatment and oil and gas

See recruitment agencies to find more agencies. 

Finding overseas recruitment agencies

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of recruitment agencies in specific countries. They are listed under the following headings:

  • staffing agencies and temporary help firms
  • executive recruiters and search firms

Recruitment agencies may not operate in the same way in different countries. In the UK agencies are free for job seekers, but this may not be the case elsewhere. Explore the terms and conditions of an agency before signing up to use them.

Other ways to gain relevant experience

All experience is valuable. If you can't find an internship or placement related to energy or utilities, why not try these alternatives:

  • complete a free virtual internship, for example with Forage
  • sign up for free online courses to develop new skills and demonstrate an interest in your field
  • attend events and network to make contacts and connections. Newcastle University students can access free membership to the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), which includes access to sustainability events and networking opportunities
  • enter a related competition - prizes sometimes include internships
  • consider volunteering
  • you can also look at what to do if you can't find an internship over summer

Work for yourself

Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:

  • support with idea generation
  • provide tailored advice
  • help you develop your skills
  • introduce you to like-minded peers
  • refer you to further support from mentors
  • award grant funding up to £3,000
Find out about START UP

Related sectors

You may also be interested in the following occupational areas:

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