With renewable energy being the world’s fastest-growing energy source, and an ever-increasing global effort to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, now is the optimal time to explore professional opportunities in renewable energy. So how does one break into the industry? Energy Rotational Programs (or ERPs) are one pathway, providing participants the opportunity to gain practical experience across multiple roles within the sector.
As the name implies, these structured business programs allow you to rotate through different positions and functions within an organization. The goal is to provide participants with mentoring, organizational cross-training, and comprehensive exposure in order to identify your best fit in the industry. Programs generally last from one to three years with focused training concentrated on one primary functional specialty.
RES is the one of the world’s largest renewable energy companies, with more than 2,500 employees and operations active in 14 countries. They specialize in renewable energy project development, site construction, and operational support for commercial and industrial clients. During their two-year rotational training program, associates undertake four six-month rotations across multiple business units, gaining experience on wind, solar, storage, and transmission and distribution projects.
EDF Renewables shares the global scope of RES, employing over 4,500 people in 22 different countries. They’re an independent power producer and service provider with a focus on engineering, optimization, and energy solutions for commercial and industrial
customers. EDF’s two-year program moves participants through four corporate offices nationally, emphasizing industry experience in the areas of financial modeling, data analytics, project management, and organizational strategy.
Finally, NextEra, one of America’s largest capital investors in renewable infrastructure, offers the Ignite Leadership Program. The focal point of the program is to enhance the individual’s leadership and technical acumen in digitally-based disciplines, especially data analytics and network infrastructure. Like EDF & RES, NextEra’s program has four six-month rotations with the purpose of providing participants the opportunity to explore a variety of intraorganizational work groups.
You may notice that, while these companies occupy overlapping niches in the renewable energy sector, their rotational programs encompass a wide array of activities. What this means for students is that there are a lot of useful ways to prepare for a career in the industry—there’s room for all types of interests and skill sets. RES, for example, invites candidates with backgrounds in “engineering, business, finance, economics, law, energy, or data science,” while NextEra’s digital track calls for a degree in “computer science, software engineering, information technology, cyber security” or a similar field. Whatever your interests are, there’s a good chance that there’s an ERP out there that fits your professional development needs.
