Category Archives: Energy Engineering

Student Case Study: Verisk

Name of Student:  Ria Serena Luchun

Degree Subject:  Natural Sciences

Job Title: Energy Consulting Intern

Company Name:  Verisk

Type of Internship:  Access to Internships (A2I) 

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My main role during this internship was to provide support creating deliverables for a variety of energy consulting projects, ranging from new energies and renewables all the way upstream to oil and gas. The tasks I carried out were more diverse than the energy sectors I was working in – from forecasting the demand for ammonia-based products globally to in-depth research concerning Jordan’s electricity market structure and even presenting my work to clients. All of this contributed towards creating solutions and fresh energy strategies for external clients.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

My biggest achievement over the course of the internship came right as the experience was ending. I had been working on an upstream project for just under a week and was able to successfully present the findings I had made over that short time to high-stake clients with praise for my efforts from them and the project manager. After a rocky start to the internship, this ending really boosted my confidence in myself and my skills which I am quite proud of.

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?

The biggest challenge for me was adjusting to a new workplace in a sector which was quite foreign to me. The first project I was placed on had a very demanding workload which was quite overwhelming at first, especially considering that I had very little subject-specific knowledge. Compounded with trying to acclimatise with a completely new work environment and style, the beginning of the internship was a bit tumultuous. This was overcome mainly by working closely with another intern and by seeking support from the other members of the team individually.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Negotiation

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Independence
  • Professionalism

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

Overall, the internship was a bit of a whirlwind and an incredible learning experience. Being able to work within so many interlinking teams gave me a taste of the advantages to working for such a large, multinational cooperation. The soft skills I’ve gained at university well supported me throughout my journey of learning at Wood Mackenzie and have propelled both my personal and professional development in this collaborative environment. Not only have I increased my skills and employability, but also my confidence in myself and my abilities.

Research Assistant and Project Analyst – CEMPS Renewables and Pure Energy Professionals

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

CEMPS: analysis of wave data for FaB Test and assisting with the annual environmental survey

PEP: identifying and presenting storage opportunities in Cornwall, doing an analysis of wind turbine assets managed by PEP and producing a report

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Programming used to feel like one of my weaknesses and I can now say that I feel confident using Matlab in a more instinctive way.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

CEMPS: I analysed wave data to produce charts for potential developers, which would have been fairly time-consuming for the existing staff

PEP: the potential storage opportunities map is likely to be used in the next few weeks or months

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Enterprise, research, problem solving

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Motivation, personal awareness, work ethic

Engineering Intern – MB Aerospace

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I was tasked with improving the current grinding process cycle time for the turbine aerofoils. I also undertook a side project during my time which was to automize the turbine cleaning process. From these I developed new skills and built valuable industrial experience I wouldn’t have been able to develop from a university.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I managed to reduce the cycle time by a significant amount which over exceeded the level expected by an intern. This boosted my confidence massively and I feel capable to go into other companies and repeat the same success.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

In order to reduce the cycle time, I had to perform a detailed analysis of exactly how and where waste occurs in the process. I then acted on this allowing them to produce more parts per year and therefore make more money. More importantly, though I left them with areas where they could continue to make improvements and further reduce the time with using few resources.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Strategic planning, focus on goals and outcomes, assessing and managing risk

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Commercial awareness, creative thinking, independence

Intern Energy Consultant – JRP Solutions

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

The main roles where contacting clients, creating business plans for potential company ventures, creating clear pitches for the company to take to clients, creating educational material and designing sheets within excel to create reports for senior management at the company’s client businesses. The biggest of these were the educational material and the reports for senior managers. The educational material was in the form of a booklet which would teach managers and other employees about energy management and energy usage. The report designed within excel was an executive summary of energy saving solutions identified and the savings associated with them.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I became more confident in communication with senior management teams and became highly proficient in excel.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I helped to lighten the workload of significant projects within the company and lead my own projects which would otherwise have been left at the bottom of priorities and possible never completed.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, problem solving, negotiation

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Perseverance, creative thinking, work ethic

Energy Intern – Wattstor Energy Storage Systems

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What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I carried out a variety of tasks over my internship, including creating case studies from the data of existing customers, analysing data to gain an understanding of charging cycles, blog posts for the website, and basic organisation and “tidying up” of the company dropbox account.  I also worked on several excel spreadsheets that are in use with the company, to fix any errors and improve usability and appearance.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I worked well under pressure, and during days when a lot was going on and others were getting stressed, I was able to remain calm and help lighten the workload for my colleagues.  I have also largely improved my excel skills, and I am proud that I successfully solved any problems I was faced with when working on the spreadsheets.  In addition, I am pleased with my independence and ability to get on with a task, but equally I felt comfortable asking for help when I needed it.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

The work I carried out was to a high standard and will help the company keep track of the work they do, saving them time and problems in the future.  I was also able to carry out tasks for my colleagues that reduced their workload during busy periods.

Did you encounter any problems during the course of your internship and if so, how did you overcome them?

There were some research tasks that I was unable to find complete information on, so I collated all that I could find and presented that.

Summer Intern – Green Evolution Capital LLP

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

During the internship, I participated in all aspects of the company’s activities, including meetings with lawyers, fund administrators, accountants, etc. My main task was to compile a comprehensive study on the 15 countries including the political, macroeconomic data, a review of the regulatory regime, renewables landscape, etc.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

The work was challenging and interesting and I am very proud of the resulting study that will be genuinely useful to the firm and published in the University library as a reference tool for the dissertations of fellow students! Working closely alongside the two partners of the firm developed a keen sense of professionalism and inspired a range of possible routes and opportunities for career development after university. Getting involved in the surrounding company activities such as contributing to the investor presentation and informing the fund’s senior advisor on key policy mechanisms broadened the experience, skills and networking opportunities that I gained from the internship.

“Matt did an excellent job with the study and was very helpful in many of the meetings he attended with his knowledge of the renewables sector and the UK regulations. The 300+ page study that he completed continues to be an important reference point and marketing tool for the company” – Line Manager

Renewable Energy Officer – LessCo2 Ltd

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I learnt and practically applied all the knowledge I learnt with regard to the installation and commissioning of wind turbines. This included onsite visits and working from home as required.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I found it an exceedingly rewarding experience and was able to learn about a lot about not just the renewable energy and small scale wind industry but also what makes a successful business. I was able to be involved in a range of roles and projects that enabled me to have an input into wind projects in addition to more general aspects of the business.

It was excellent to be able to make connections within the industry and apply skills and knowledge from my course in a real life situation, in addition to developing new ones.

“Emma was a pleasure to work with. She was hardworking and picked up new knowledge quickly. All of the projects she was given were completed to a very high standard and on time” – Line Manager

Research and Development Intern – Atlantic Energy for Fal Energy Partnership

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

To assist Fal Energy Partnership (FEP) with the design and construction of a demonstration trailer to be used at key events both within and outside of the FEP membership area.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

The chance to engage with a newly established, driven community group was very inspirational. The work involved bringing skills from my degree and previous work experience together to create something unique for community groups. I had a chance to meet with local business owners during my placement, share my plans with them and gain useful feedback. I will continue working voluntarily with FEP now that my placement has finished and hope that I can continue to gain further experience while being part of such a worthwhile organisation.

“We were very grateful for the enthusiastic help that Adam contributed”- Line Manager

Project Co-ordinator – Camborne School of Mines

SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

During my internship I assisted with planning applications, undertook research tasks and updated the website’s renewable energy section. I also fulfilled an administrative role in sending emails and making phone calls.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I improved the quality of my written reports and gained confidence in my abilities.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I worked with colleagues on planning applications, therefore lightening their workload.
I was also able to suggest new renewable energy income streams.

Renewable Heat Project Manager – Enviko

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I managed projects of large scale renewable heat installations and provided technical support to the Solar PV department.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I improved the method of shading analysis used by the company and will continue to help the Design and Sales team to utilise this in the future via a further project.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

During my time at Enviko I saved the company time and money by helping support departments during very busy times and also improved standard practices meaning that certain areas will operate more efficiently in the future.

Did you encounter any problems during the course of your internship and if so, how did you overcome them?

As a project manager there were many issues due to the complexities of the projects such as resource delivery delays in which I often had to change supplier or personally negotiate the quickest delivery possible with the manufacturers.