Design & planning

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship

University

You can do a degree in an engineering or a scientific subject. Some employers may expect you to have a postgraduate qualification.

Relevant subjects include:

• mining or petroleum engineering
• energy engineering
• Earth sciences
• environmental engineering
• renewable or sustainable energy

Getting work experience during your studies through summer internship and year placement schemes can give you an advantage.

Your university careers service can help you find suitable opportunities.

If you're interested in postgraduate research and want to continue your studies up to PhD level, you may be able to apply for a course like an EngD.

These courses are offered by the Industrial Doctoral Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy. You would be sponsored by a company to research offshore technologies for wind, wave and tidal power.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and a science for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

For more information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

Apprenticeship

You may be able to start by doing a higher or degree apprenticeship in areas like:

• nuclear engineering
• electrical power networks engineering
• power and propulsion gas turbine engineering

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

For more information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

More information

Further information

You'll find more on energy engineering careers from:the Energy Institute; National Grid Careers; Energy and Utilities Jobs

View all vacancies in this region

With experience, you could move into planning, policy development, or freelance consultancy.

You could gain skills for project management roles in the energy sector through a Project controls professional, degree apprenticeship.

For other roles linked to Energy Engineer, employers such as SSE have roles as an Electrical Power Engineer and Craft Apprenticeships: Linesperson, Electrical Fitter, Electrical Jointer, Electrical Engineering.