Preparing graduates for the energy transition
Dr Kit-ying Hui, Course Leader for IT for the Energy Industry writes about how his course was redesigned to prepare graduates for the energy transition.
As the energy industry is highly competitive and technical challenging, it is undeniable that the use of Information Technologies plays a very important role in the success of a company. As a result, there is a high demand for professionals who not only understand the need of the energy industry but also possess the knowledge to apply IT solutions to problems in the domain. As cross-disciplinary professionals, they possess the distinctive ability to understand challenges in the industry while being able to analyse and resolve problems from a different perspective. These include the roles of software developer, service manager, system administrator, and consultant, etc.
This is why the School of Computing has a developed a unique course to develop professionals who contribute to the role of bridging the gap between IT and the energy sector. The IT for the Energy Industry is a master-level course which has been redesigned to support those who wish work in the oil and gas industry as well as the renewables sector.
The course content which originally only explored hydrocarbon-based energy solutions, now covers topics of renewable energy, including offshore windfarms, operation of wind turbines, transportation of renewably generated electricity, and challenges in integrating large scale renewable energy generation into the electricity grid.
This degree will benefit those who come from a non-technical background but want to pursue a career of Information Technology in the energy sector, as well as those who are already working in the energy sector but want to improve their employability by extending their expertise into computing and IT. Throughout the course, teaching is complemented by practical work, allowing students to support theoretical knowledge with technical skills. There is also a group project designed to give students the concrete experience of working in a team, thus acquiring the essential skill of collaboration with colleagues as in real life. Graduates will have an understanding of the energy industry and how to apply IT skills and techniques to address the needs of organisations.
With the UK’s commitment to net zero emission by 2050, the use of renewable energy will become more dominant. Our aim is to prepare our graduates for their future roles in the rapidly changing energy sector where the application of information technologies is crucial.
