Landing a dream job in renewables

• Vineeta Lal has worked in the renewable energy industry for 7 years, and described ACCIONA Energía as her dream place of work. Last year, she applied for a job with us and is now working as a Project Estimator & Scheduler. Find out more about Vineeta in our interview with her below.

How did you end up where you are now in your career?

I was born and raised in Northern India by a family that understood the value of experiencing diverse cultures. They encouraged me to explore the world, and so I came to Australia and studied a Masters in Business at the Queensland University of Technology.

Since then, my career path has not been straightforward. I majored in Human Resources, but after gaining skills in project management, scheduling, and IT, my career progressed in that direction.

I began working in the renewable energy industry with a company called Senvion and since then, I’ve been in wind energy for over 7 years in various roles across the different phases of a wind farm life cycle.

What made you want to apply for a job at ACCIONA Energía?

ACCIONA Energía has always been my dream place of work. From my experience in the industry, I knew that the company had a good workplace culture and they are a very well-known name in the Australian renewable energy industry. I have always received positive feedback from my connections who have previously worked there or provided services to the company as a vendor during construction.

Working here is a good fit for me because the company’s values of supporting a sustainable future, innovation, work-life balance and promoting diversity align with my own. I feel proud to be able to say I work here.

What is a day in the life of a project Estimator/Scheduler?

As a Scheduler, I work in collaboration with the Engineering and Business Development teams to make sure schedules are up to date for projects in the development phase. I monitor performance and timelines for development and assist project managers with identifying risks that could impact milestone delivery.

As an Estimator, I work under the guidance of the Engineering team to make estimations of the capital expenditure required throughout the development of a project and monitor this to maintain the project cost through out the life cycle. 

What is your favourite thing about working at ACCIONA Energía?

The company has a great organisational culture, promoting gender equality and the wellbeing of its employees. ACCIONA Energía also makes me feel supported in my professional development and provides opportunities for me to succeed in my career goals.  

Additionally, the company employs people of a high calibre, which means I get to work with and learn from really talented individuals.

What is it like working in the Engineering team?

The Engineering team welcomed me from day one, even though I began working from home during the 5th lockdown in Melbourne. Our team is quite collaborative, which makes it easy to work together to achieve our goals. As a female working in the team, I have never felt as though I don’t fit in or that I am out of place in what is usually a male dominated profession. My colleagues respect my opinion and value my ideas.

What is your experience being a woman in renewables?

Construction and engineering are largely male-dominated, and so being a woman in this field can sometimes be challenging. I have been fortunate to have mentors and friends within the industry who have guided me all along and supported me in my career. I feel very comfortable and confident in my role no matter who I am working with.

To see ACCIONA Energía's current job vacancies, click here.