Key Points
- Renewable energy offers growth for engineers and business-minded individuals.
- Energy consulting provides opportunities for strategic thinkers and innovators.
- Both engineers and non-engineers play vital roles in oil and gas.
Currently, energy is one of the most progressive and significant sections all around the world; in addition, the sector offers a vast range of opportunities for the employment of those individuals who possess different kinds of skills.
Due to this demand, the creation of jobs suited to engineers as well as non-engineers is high. This industry has expanded for the development of renewable sources of energy, technology and the shift towards a sustainable environment in the global community today.
These are seven rather intriguing career paths in the energy industry specified below with information on the required academic background, work experience, and promotion opportunities.
1. Development of renewable energy
 For Engineers: Renewable energy is the leading designers and implementers of sustainable energy solutions. It focuses on geothermal, hydro, solar and wind power resources. The tasks include constructing facilities for renewable power systems, improving the efficiency of power producing devices, and developing appropriate energy storage solutions.
According to A & M univeristy, the base of essential knowledge includes knowledge in mechanical, electrical or environmental engineering and knowledge in energy modeling tools and renewable energy technologies.
 For Non-Engineers:
According to the Lee group research, the non-engineers who take part in the design and development of renewable energy can find employment opportunities and policy making, site procurement, and project management.
They work with engineers and varied stakeholders to ensure that projects are done in accordance with rules and requirements and that projects are financially sustainable. As such, experience in business management, public policy and or environmental sciences is quite relevant.
2. Regulating energy policies
According to U.S Energy information, lawmakers benefit from such professionals in this profession because they give technical assistance in formulation of laws and policies. Their insight ensures that conditions for environmental factors or safety are met concerning the energy structure. They also conduct assessment to determine policy technical feasibility in terms of energy policy.
In most cases, a person requires a first degree in engineering alongside an additional training in public policy or energy legislation.
 For Non-Engineering:
Most energy policies are drawn, reviewed and implemented in significant extent by none other than engineers. Affiliations with law, political science or public administration will assist experienced professionals in career opportunities in government entities, evaluation agencies, and policy organizations. They strive at establishing theories with solutions to economic challenges that foster sustainability and energy.
3. Finance and energy trading
Investopedia stated that finance and energy trading consist of technical specialists who apply business engineering principles in analyzing the market phenomena, assessing and managing the risks and profits within the energy trading business. Mainly concentrating on energy’s technical characteristics of supply and delivery, they often use forecast data on supply and demand with financial organizations or energy companies.
An engineering degree is best done alongside knowledge in finance or data analytics will be complementary.
Energy traders, analysts, and financial advisers who do not have engineering background focus on market analysis, portfolio management, and investment strategies.
For Non- Engineers
Commonly the main education is in commodity markets and risk management; however, degree in finance, economics, or business may be required.
4. Environmental & sustainability management
 For Engineers: Environmental engineers in this field address issues to do with energy projects impacts on ecology. Their solutions are aimed at minimizing emission, management of wastes and ensuring that standards on the environment are met. They offer life cycle analyses and are involved with energy efficiency projects too as well.
In addition, professional qualifications in environmental management are essential and requirement in an engineering degree in either environmental, chemical or civil specialization.
For Non Engineers
Everybody coming to an organization aids in developing and implementing sustainable policies. They supervising the environmental issues, monitor the sustainable key performance indicators, and promote business social responsibility initiatives. Some prior experience in corporate governance, sustainability or an environmental science would also be useful.
5. Oil and gas exploration and production
Specializations of engineers in the oil and gas industries are on exploration, drilling and production technologies. These comprise of drilling engineers, process engineers as well as petroleum engineers. And although these specialists ensure the security and cost-effectiveness of the process, they focus on the effective extraction of resources.
To qualify for admission, applicants generally require a field-specific certificate together with a degree in petroleum, chemical, or mechanical engineering.
 For Non Engineers
In general, people with non-engineering backgrounds could secure a job in purchasing, or health and safety or in logistics in the oil and gas industry. Some coordinate agency operations as how activities are arranged, how supplies are sourced and any safety measures observed. In these careers, realization in safety management, business administration or logistics is relatively advantageous.
6. Energy technology and innovation
For Engineers is about design and advancements of energy technologies such as smart grid, battery storage systems, energy efficient gadgets. Engineers also assist with the research and development stage, creation of models/prototypes and marketing of novelties.
Engineering is good, especially electrical or computer engineering employers or experience in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and IoT.
For Non-Engineering Professionals
In terms of energy advancements, they can be in areas such as user experience design, marketing or technology management but not engineering. They ensure that goods meet the needs of consumers; thus, they apply themselves to reducing the gap between technical professionals and consumers. One fitter with a marketing, business or technology management pedigree.
7. Energy consulting
Energy consultants provides technical information to companies, governments, and engineers for governments. They assess power demand, suggest measures that would enhance power productivity, and seek the shift to green energy. Professionals that understand well analytics and energy systems perform well well in this area.
Suitable for this job is a degree in any engineering subdiscipline coupled with some knowledge in energy systems.
 For Non-Engineering Professionals:
Other consultants focus more on financial and policy aspects as well as on the strategies related to energy projects. These ones support clients to navigate legal frameworks, develop strategies for an enterprise and to identify potential sources of funding. Quite often required is a degree in business administration, economics, or public policy with good analytical skills as well.
Conclusion
The energy industry is one that offers opportunities for employers to engage both engineers, and other employees who do not hold an engineering degree. While non-engineers are important in policy, management and strategic decisions, engineers bring technical input to the design, improvement and creation of energy systems. Only they will be able to build satisfying careers who possess the required formal qualifications and skills in this dynamic and powerful area. Every subsector of the energy sector wishes you luck and a warm welcome, whether you are passionate about sustainability, technology, finance, politics or something else.
