It was a seed planted by a single unit in Courtney May’s degree that set her on her “accidental journey” towards a career in supporting Victoria’s transition to renewable energy.
And, as an understanding of sustainable development becomes increasingly important in every career, this kind of early exposure through all fields of study becomes vital.
Currently working for VicGrid – the agency responsible for coordinating the planning and development of Victoria’s renewable energy zones and transmission infrastructure to support the transition to renewable energy – Courtney originally studied a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Systems at the University of Tasmania, graduating in 2007.
And, while her studies were focused on economics and information systems, her perspective was radically shifted by one unit – natural resource economics – that she studied in the final semester of her degree.
“I still remember this because it was…just an incredibly eye-opening subject that made me go, oh my god, there's another way to think about the world, and it planted the seed.”
She completed a Work Integrated Learning placement with Tasmania’s then-Department of Economics, Development, Tourism and the Arts while studying her degree.
She later worked in the same department in her first energy-related role after graduating, and said her prior experience there made it much easier for her to walk into the workplace with confidence as a graduate employee.
“It was that connection to the workplace that really helped me realise this is…the variety of things that are available if you're interested in these kinds of spaces,” she said.
And once working in that professional environment, Courtney realised just how many different paths were open for her, to work in a field that would both utilise her business/economics skills, and her passion for sustainable development.
And this paved the way for her to land in her current role in Victoria, as Senior Engagement Officer for VicGrid, supporting the transition to renewable energy.
“We're responsible for the planning and development of the infrastructure that is needed to essentially support new renewable energy,” she said.
“As coal is closing and the energy transition is speeding up…renewable energy is not generated in the same places as our big baseload power has been previously, in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria.
“So, we need new fit-for-purpose transmission to get that energy to where it's needed. It’s going to be generated in diverse places and locations.
“Right now we're out and about talking to people about where renewable energy zones should eventually be located and then thinking about what transmission is needed to support these zones and the communities that will host that infrastructure
“It's an interesting space, being in the engagement part of it, because it is really the front line supporting that shift of community attitudes, to support the move to renewable energy.”
Courtney said it was abundantly clear that skills and knowledge relating to sustainable development were already highly sought-after in many industries. And she expected this demand to continue to increase.
“I've spoken about the energy transition – there are all sorts of skills that are going to be needed to make this happen…and we’re already talking about the kind of competition that we're facing to attract skilled workers.
“The industry needs a diverse range of skillsets – I work in community engagement and communications and that’s just one of so many pathways. It's really up to people to think about what they want. Is it a space they're interested in, does it match their values, and is it somewhere they want to make a difference in the world?”
- Having a passion for sustainability can really boost your employability. Build that passion into your business or economics degree and give yourself a competitive edge that can also change the world.
Study Business and ICT with a sustainability edge on campus in Tasmania. Onshore international students can also study through our educational partner at our Melbourne Study Centre.
Where study meets sustainability at the University of Tasmania