Inspiring tomorrow’s engineers today

We’re a proud member of EngineeringUK and are working to help inspire the next generation about the exciting opportunities available in STEM-related roles. And we’re happy to celebrate Tomorrow’s Engineers Week this week.

Tomorrow's Engineers Week aims to shape young people’s perceptions of engineering by shining a light on inspiring engineers and technicians.

So, we caught up with some of our inspiring engineers and technicians from across E.ON to find out more about a career in engineering and why they’re passionate about it.

Mike Wake, Director of EIS UK Operations, at E.ON UK said: “Having started my career in fossil fired energy generation, I am now leading the decarbonisation of energy for residential customers and industrial and commercial clients. A full change – for the better.

“Engineering to me is all about the future and teamwork. I am fortunate to work with lots of different technologies including market-leading solutions, but the most enjoyable aspect is working with really driven people who want to make a difference. For anyone considering a career in engineering, I always say if you want to make a difference, want to work with great people and develop yourself to your full potential, and enjoy what you do on a day-by-day basis – then a career in engineering is the career for you. There are so many roles that there is a place for everyone.”

Alice Hedley-Fenn, electromechanical engineering degree apprentice, said: “Engineering is a career that has always interested me and being able to do both mechanical and electrical allows me to understand how two combine the two. With the way the industry is becoming more automated, having a knowledge that allows me to work on improving that automation process is invaluable.”

“Engineering is an ever-growing field and is extremely diverse. It is constantly evolving to keep up to date with changing technologies and demands. I like that a career in engineering will allow me to continue learning; I thrive in environments where I can expand my knowledge, challenge myself, and apply new ideas.”

Gary Ross, Senior Technical Author, at E.ON UK said: “Throughout my engineering career I have been part of some impressive and interesting projects, and my passion has always been that the projects are able to run safely and efficiently once they are handed over to the people operating them.

“My role covers various tasks and challenges, I find each day brings a fresh set of highly complicated challenges, and I thrive on fixing those puzzles, especially when I know that the benefits of doing so will far outlive my career. When I was a student and apprentice, I had no idea about the scope of experiences that my career would bring me. I would never have dreamed that I could overcome the challenges that I have. If you can imagine a better world, you can help to build it.”

Iain McLeod, Electrical Team Leader and Electrical Engineer, at E.ON UK said: “I have always had a wide-ranging interest in technology and how things work so a career in engineering allows me to work in an environment that I find both rewarding and challenging.

“If you have an inquisitive mind, like solving problems, and see opportunities for improvement then engineering would be a good career. Look around and you see the impact of engineering everywhere, it’s embedded in the way we live and will continue to be a future guiding force.”

STEM Returners

It’s not just the engineers of the future we’re committed to supporting at E.ON. We’re working with return-to-work specialists STEM Returners to help engineers make a successful transition back to work after they’ve taken a career break.

Research from STEM Returners shows the challenges people face when trying to return to work following a career break, with recruitment bias shown to be the main barrier to entry. STEM Returners’ programmes aim to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to adjust to life back in work.

Simon Duncan, Director of Energy Infrastructure Solutions UK at E.ON, said: “The work that STEM Returners do is nothing short of incredible. The return to work after a career break can be daunting, which I know from personal experience when my wife spent a few years caring for our family full-time. This programme helps highly skilled individuals to transition back into the workforce, and E.ON gets to directly benefit from removing the recruitment bias and tapping into STEM talent. What could be better!”

To find out more about careers at E.ON, visit our careers website.