Ben Solomon a Master of Sustainable Energy graduate and now an Energy Efficiency Officer at the City of Gold Coast shares his experiences and insights on how the MSE program has helped him pivot his career towards the energy industry.
Why did you choose to study the Master of Sustainable Energy at UQ?
I chose the MSE at UQ because I could clearly see that energy and in particular renewables was going to be a highly topical industry going forward. I never thought I would do any postgraduate study but once I found the course, I knew it would be a great strategic move for my career, along with being something I was genuinely interested in. UQ being highly reputable and being within Queensland made it an easy choice.
What was your favourite course/subject and why?
Hard to say as all were quite different. One that did stand out was the Energy Markets, Law and Policy course with Dr Elliot Tonkes which enabled me to draw from the knowledge I gathered during my undergrad economics degree which to be honest I hadn’t really utilised for many years. It showed me how diverse the energy industry is and highlighted that many skill sets from multiple backgrounds are required for the industry to operate effectively.
Why did you decide to do a professional project With the Australian Energy Regulator in your final semester, and what were the key learnings?
I was compelled to undertake a Professional Project in my last semester as I knew it would provide an excellent opportunity to interact with a reputable energy organisation in a professional environment. It was definitely a steep learning curve in the initial stages which pushed me out of my comfort zone but in reflection that unquestionably promoted a great deal of personal and professional growth. The insight and skills I gained from this project were enormously valuable and I’m very glad I chose to take to take it on.
How have you benefitted from the industry contact during the program?
Being exposed to experienced energy professionals from a variety of backgrounds was something I hadn’t had a lot of in my career prior to studying at UQ so I definitely got a lot out of all their lectures.
In what ways did your MSE help you pivot your career?
The MSE was definitely beneficial in enabling me to pivot from the sales/marketing career path I was on to one that is more aligned with my skillsets and future goals. Having been in my previous job for many years, this course gave me the skills and confidence to pursue a change. In particular the program exposed me to the wide variety of roles and skills required for the industry going forward.
What is your current role, and how do you use your skills from the program in your job?
My current role is Energy Efficiency Officer at the City of Gold Coast. Essentially my team monitors the energy usage of the City’s assets ranging from Aquatic centres, to Water treatment plants and Pumping stations. Projects mostly centre around reducing the spend on energy by either optimising operations or by implementing energy reduction measures whether it be through new/improved equipment or adding solar. The MSE gave me a great foundation to assist in the transition to this role and the energy industry more broadly.
Do you have any advice for people considering studying for the MSE while working full-time?
I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who is considering studying. The way the courses are structured enables someone working full-time to ‘fit it in’ part-time although it obviously does make you very busy.
It was a big shock to the system in the initial stages, but you do get all the regular uni breaks across the year and ample time to put assignments together. It’s very manageable especially if you have some flexibility in your work situation and are prepared to give up some weekends for assignments.
