- Australia
- Go to acciona.com
James was introduced to ACCIONA through the ACCIONA Academy Program 2019 for students in their penultimate year of university. After leaving a good impression, James was later hired as a Graduate Engineer and now works for the ACCIONA Energía business.
What led you to a career in renewables?
I have always had an interest in renewables and so I studied a degree in resources and renewable energy engineering after graduating from school.
About halfway through my degree I realised I had been too broad with my approach and needed more direction than just wanting to work in renewables. There are so many fields and jobs in the industry, so I needed to narrow my focus.
As I was the only the second cohort to go through this relatively new degree, I had a lot of flexibility within the course and there were a lot of electives available to me. My course advisor suggested some subjects in electrical and power systems, and from there I chose this career path.
How did you hear about ACCIONA Energía and what made you want to be a part of the company?
Some representatives from ACCIONA Energía came to an open night that was organised by my university. At the stall they spoke to me about a program for graduates called the ACCIONA Academy. There were a couple of hundred applicants from all over Australia, and I was luckily one of the 24 students chosen to be a part of the program.
From my first introduction to the company, I sensed quickly that sustainability was a priority and that having a positive impact on the planet was at the forefront of all business practices. The ACCIONA group strongly value the people that work in the company and I wanted to be a part of a team like this.
What does a day in your life look like?
I come into the office 4 times a week and work from home once a week. My main priority as a Graduate Engineer is feasibility studies, which generally take about 4-6 weeks to complete. This means I cover a range of greenfield projects, while the rest of the team might specialise on a specific project.
A feasibility report begins when the Business Development team brings me a prospect they have identified (this is a location on a map that they have identified due to land availability or wind/solar resource).
I then identify the nearest and most suitable transmission infrastructure to the area and begin my study. I have to take into account a range of considerations and information that I used to create cases on our simulation software, which helps us run through different scenarios. These reports then help to indicate which prospects are worth pursuing.
I have probably done about 10 of them now since joining the company but each one is different due to the location and area of the grid.
What do you like about working at ACCIONA Energía?
One of my favourite things about working at ACCIONA Energía (but also one of the most daunting things) is that there is so much more to learn. There is so much information available and so I am always expanding my knowledge.
I really value the people that I work with. Since joining, I haven’t once thought about working somewhere else because the team I work with feels a bit like family.
I work in an environment where I feel comfortable asking questions. There is always someone in the team willing to help me answer them and learn. Every month, I meet with mentors in my team to talk about my personal development goals and how I can reach them.
What advice would you give to people in university interested in working in renewables?
- Choose to study something you are passionate about - this will make it easier for you to study
- Don’t be narrow minded in your approach – be open to learning new things
- Realise the power of networking – it is so important to get out of your comfort zone and to connect with people
- Get as much experience as you can before you graduate – in the end, having experience is what helped me get a fulltime job.
If you are interested in a graduate role at ACCIONA Energia, our Expressions of Interest for 2023 are open here.