Energy Sector Heroes ~ Careers in Oil & Gas, Sustainability & Renewable Energy

Michelle Fraser
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  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Energy Sector Heroes! This podcast is all about showcasing stand-out individuals in the energy sector and their inspiring careers. If you're interested in making a name for yourself in the energy industry, this is the perfect show for you. Each episode, we'll sit down with a different energy sector hero and learn about their journey to success, the challenges they faced along the way, and the valuable lessons they learned. From engineers and scientists to executives and entrepreneurs, we'll hear from a diverse range of professionals who are making a real impact in the world of energy. Tune in to Energy Sector Heroes to get motivated, learn from the best, and start your journey to becoming an energy sector hero too!

  1. 2D AGO

    The Future of Energy Careers: Stability, Risk and Transferable Skills with Jamie Young | Energy Sector Heroes

    If you are building a career in energy — whether you’re a graduate, mid career professional, or senior leader — this conversation matters. The sector is evolving fast. Expectations around safety, sustainability, leadership and reputation have shifted dramatically. The pace of change is increasing. And for many of you listening, the question is no longer just “How do I succeed?” but “How do I build something meaningful and transferable?” In this episode, I speak with Jamie Young, former Risk Director at BP, who shares reflections from a 40 year career across oil & gas and mining. Jamie started as an apprentice in the North Sea and went on to lead global risk methodologies supporting executive leadership. Along the way, he experienced near fatal incidents, witnessed major industry disasters, and helped shape strategic responses to events that changed the sector permanently. We talk about what has genuinely improved in energy — particularly around safety culture and systems thinking — but also about the new challenges facing the industry: instability, cyclical restructures, technology disruption, and the importance of personal reputation. This is a grounded discussion about purpose, risk, leadership and how to show up well in a high stakes sector. 💡 Three Key Takeaways 🔹 Purpose isn’t abstract — it’s built from what you care about Jamie’s sense of purpose didn’t appear overnight. It emerged from lived experience — from seeing what goes wrong and deciding to contribute to preventing it. Purpose is often found at the intersection of what affects you deeply and where you can add distinctive value. 🔹 The industry is safer — but less stable Oil and gas has made major strides in process safety, systems thinking, and operating discipline. However, career stability is no longer guaranteed. Reorganisations, volatility and existential pressures mean professionals must think long term and transferable. 🔹 Reputation now matters more than ever Doing good work is essential — but it must also be visible. In a cyclical industry, how you are perceived, how you collaborate, and what you are known for can influence opportunities and resilience. 🎯 Three Actionable Takeaways 📝 Define what you want to be known for Write down three words that describe the professional you want to be. Align your behaviour and decisions to those words. Review them annually. 🗣 Practise a 90 second professional summary Be able to clearly and succinctly explain who you are, what you stand for, and the value you bring. This is essential for interviews, networking, and internal visibility. 🌍 Build a network before you need one Attend events, connect on LinkedIn, follow up with short conversations. Relationships built early provide optionality later — especially in a cyclical sector.

    51 min

  2. MAR 3

    Will Oil & Gas Disappear? The Future of Energy Careers Explained with Mike Cooper | Energy Sector Heroes

    If you're a student, graduate, engineer, geoscientist, or industry professional trying to make sense of where energy is heading this conversation matters. Many of you are navigating career uncertainty, hearing mixed messages about oil and gas, renewables, AI, fracking, net zero and policy shifts. It can feel difficult to understand where real opportunity sits and what skills will still matter in 10 or 20 years. In this episode, I sit down with subsurface and exploration manager Mike Cooper to talk openly about how the industry has changed since the 1980s, what’s happening globally across oil, gas and renewables, and what this means for the next generation entering energy. We explore: 🌍 How global geology connects basins from the North Sea to Brazil and West Africa🤖 Where AI can genuinely help and where it still needs human judgement🏗️ Why energy policy directly affects jobs, industry and competitiveness🎓 What young professionals should be doing right now to build resilience Mike also shares lessons from building and winding up companies, mentoring graduates, and creating niche industry content through his YouTube channel. There’s a strong thread throughout this conversation: experience, judgement and specialist expertise still matter even in a more automated world. 🔑 Three Key Takeaways 1️⃣ Energy transition doesn’t eliminate legacy industries it reshapes them Oil and gas are unlikely to disappear overnight. Even as renewables expand, fossil fuels still form a large part of global energy supply. The real shift is in how efficiently and responsibly energy is produced. Actionable takeaway: 👉 If you’re entering energy, build dual literacy. Understand both conventional energy systems and transition technologies like CCUS, geothermal or offshore wind. Being cross sector fluent increases your employability. 2️⃣ AI is powerful but expertise is the filter AI can draft, summarise and model at speed. But it still blends data incorrectly, mislabels basins, or merges unrelated fields. Human oversight remains critical, especially in subsurface interpretation and engineering decisions. Actionable takeaway: 👉 Learn to use AI as a productivity tool, not a replacement for technical understanding. Develop deep domain knowledge so you can sense check outputs and spot errors quickly. 3️⃣ Early experience matters more than perfect roles Mike shared how graduates who were willing to start small, take risk and gain exposure ended up highly employable years later. The classroom and the workplace are very different environments. Actionable takeaway: 👉 Prioritise proximity to real projects over title or salary in your first few years. Exposure to live data, operations, and decision making environments compounds long term value. This episode isn’t about hype. It’s about realism where opportunity exists, where risk sits, and how young professionals can navigate a sector that is evolving technically, politically and economically. If you're building your career in energy right now, this is one to listen to with a notebook beside you. ✍️

    41 min

  3. FEB 24

    Adekunle Akintayo: Why Mentorship Matters More Than Talent | Energy Sector Heroes

    In this week’s episode, host Michelle Fraser sits down with Adekunle Akintayo for an honest and inspiring conversation about career growth, leadership, and the power of mentorship. Adekunle shares his journey from starting out as a mechanical engineer to becoming Head of Technical Services within a global organisation. Along the way, he reflects on the pivotal decisions, challenges, and turning points that shaped his career and the mentors who helped guide him through them. Together, Michelle and Adekunle explore what effective mentorship really looks like, how to find the right mentor, and why having the right guidance at the right time can be career defining. Adekunle offers practical insights drawn from real experience, highlighting lessons that are just as relevant for early career professionals as they are for those stepping into leadership roles. If you’re navigating your own career path, considering your next move, or wondering how mentorship could accelerate your growth, this episode offers thoughtful perspective, reassurance, and inspiration. Settle in for a compelling conversation on leadership, learning, and the mentors who make the difference.

    52 min

  4. FEB 17

    Cameron Thorp: Small Company, Big Responsibility: Building Credibility Early in Engineering | Energy Sector Heroes

    If you’re early in your career or you’ve moved faster than you expected into responsibility this episode is for you. Many people in the energy sector worry about whether they’re “ready enough”, whether they’ve moved too quickly, or whether choosing a smaller company might limit future options. These questions matter because the early decisions you make often shape confidence, capability, and long term direction more than job titles ever will. In this episode of Energy Sector Heroes, I’m joined by Cameron Thorp, Engineering Manager at Subsea Pressure Controls. Cameron shares what it’s really like stepping into a senior role at a young age, managing people with more experience than you, and building credibility without decades on your CV. We talk honestly about imposter syndrome, chartership, mentoring, interviews, and why being proactive often matters more than ticking every requirement box. This is a grounded conversation about learning by doing, making deliberate career moves, and backing yourself even when it feels uncomfortable. Key Takeaways You Can Act On🔧 Choose environments that stretch you, not just impress on paper Smaller companies can offer broader responsibility, faster learning, and earlier exposure to decision making. If you want range and ownership early on, look at where you’ll actually get hands on experience. 🧭 Use structure to offset limited experience Chartership, mentoring, and clear development goals help build credibility when you don’t yet have years behind you. Seek external support if your company doesn’t offer it professional institutions can fill that gap. 📞 Don’t self reject before a conversation If a role looks interesting but you don’t meet every requirement, pick up the phone. An informal conversation can change how a role is scoped and how you’re assessed before your CV is even reviewed.

    32 min

  5. FEB 10

    Pravesh Jalora: Inside Mega Projects: What It Really Takes to Deliver at Scale | Energy Sector Heroes Podcast

    In this episode, host Michelle Fraser sits down with Pravesh Jalora, Project Engineering Manager at McDermott International, for an insightful conversation on what it really takes to deliver large scale energy projects. Pravesh shares his career journey into the energy sector, reflecting on the pivotal experiences that shaped his path and the realities of working on multi billion dollar programmes. Drawing from first hand project experience, he offers practical insights into managing complexity, navigating risk, and leading teams through high pressure environments. From avoiding common project pitfalls to driving delivery in challenging conditions, Pravesh breaks down the lessons that matter most lessons you won’t find in textbooks. His perspective provides a rare look behind the scenes of major project execution and the leadership mindset required to succeed. Whether you’re early in your career or already working in project delivery, this episode is packed with real world advice, honest reflections, and valuable takeaways from someone who’s lived it. Expect an engaging, no nonsense conversation on leadership, resilience, and delivering at scale in the energy sector.

    54 min

  6. FEB 3

    Michael Love : Energy Transition Jobs: What Skills Still Matter and Where the Work Is Going | Energy Sector Heroes

    If you work in energy, whether you’re early in your career, mid transition, or trying to future proof decades of hard won experience, the questions feel very real right now. Where are the jobs actually going? Which skills still matter? And how do you avoid being left in the gap between policy ambition and real employment? In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Love, Director of Policy at OPITO, to talk honestly about what’s happening beneath the headlines. We get into the realities of workforce movement, why so many skilled people are heading overseas, and what “transferable skills” actually mean in practice not as a slogan, but as a pathway. We also talk about graduates, apprenticeships, AI, and why the energy sector still needs people who can think, communicate, and manage complexity not just code or automate. This conversation matters because decisions made now by individuals, companies, and government will shape who stays, who leaves, and who gets left behind. 🔍 Key Takeaways You Can Act On ⚡ How oil & gas skills realistically translate into renewables, hydrogen, and CCS 🧭 Why waiting for a “clear transition” is risky and how to protect your career now 📊 Which skills will matter most as AI reshapes energy roles

    28 min

  7. JAN 27

    Asking for Help at Work: Andy Lopata on Why It Matters | Energy Sector Heroes

    If you work in the energy sector, your career will not be shaped by job boards alone. Progres opportunity and visibility often come down to relationships, who knows you, how well they know you, and whether they trust you enough to speak your name when you’re not in the room. That’s why this conversation matters. In this episode of Energy Sector Heroes, I’m joined by Andy Lopata, author of multiple books on professional relationships and mentoring, to unpack what building a strong network actually looks like in practice, especially for people who find networking uncomfortable, intimidating or performative. We talk openly about why asking for help feels hard, how to approach senior leaders without feeling out of place, and why many careers stall not because of lack of capability, but because people don’t invest enough in relationship depth. We also explore practical ways to engage on platforms like LinkedIn without feeling transactional, and how to show up in conversations with confidence, whether that’s one to one or in front of a room full of people. This is a practical conversation about career momentum, not self promotion. 🔑 Key Takeaways 💬 Networking works best when it’s not about “networking” Andy explains why focusing on people you genuinely want to know rather than what they can do for you leads to stronger, longer term professional relationships. 🤝 Asking for help is not weakness We unpack why most people hesitate to ask, how to frame requests from a position of confidence, and why allowing others to help you actually strengthens relationships. 👀 Senior leaders are not as unapproachable as you think The episode breaks down how to start conversations with experienced professionals in a way that feels respectful, natural and grounded without trying to impress or perform. ✅ Actionable Takeaways 📝 Audit your current network Identify who already knows your work well enough to support you and who you need to deepen relationships with through follow up and consistent engagement. 📩 Make your outreach about them, not you When messaging someone, lead with curiosity: ask what they’re working on, reference something they’ve shared, or acknowledge a conversation you’ve already had. 🎯 Practice asking for specific help Replace vague requests with clear ones for example, asking for an introduction or advice on a defined decision and be comfortable with a “no.”

    46 min

  8. JAN 20

    Career Moves That Matter: David Rodger on Leadership and Renewables | Energy Sector Heroes Podcast

    Welcome back to the podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by David Rodger, CEO of Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, for a practical conversation about leadership, career transitions, and the evolution of the energy sector in the North East of Scotland. David talks openly about his career path from his early work as a civil servant through to leading one of the region’s most influential renewable energy organisations. We explore the decisions, trade offs, and moments that shaped his trajectory, as well as what it really takes to build momentum in a sector that is constantly changing. Together, we discuss the challenges of driving collaboration across industry, government, and supply chains, the realities behind major renewable projects, and how regional capability has developed over time. David also reflects on the role leadership plays in creating long term value not just for projects, but for people and communities. This episode is a grounded look at how careers evolve, how energy transitions actually happen on the ground, and what it means to lead with clarity and intent in a complex industry.

    25 min
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About

Welcome to Energy Sector Heroes! This podcast is all about showcasing stand-out individuals in the energy sector and their inspiring careers. If you're interested in making a name for yourself in the energy industry, this is the perfect show for you. Each episode, we'll sit down with a different energy sector hero and learn about their journey to success, the challenges they faced along the way, and the valuable lessons they learned. From engineers and scientists to executives and entrepreneurs, we'll hear from a diverse range of professionals who are making a real impact in the world of energy. Tune in to Energy Sector Heroes to get motivated, learn from the best, and start your journey to becoming an energy sector hero too!

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