Green energy career advice for students

National Careers Week event at Exeter College will show the huge opportunities in renewable energy

While students all over the UK will be getting advice on their future careers during the ‘LifeSkills National Careers Week’, Exeter teenagers who are interested in a career in renewable energy will be getting the best possible information, thanks to a visit from the UK’s number one solar company.

Kevin Ciolino, who has been a solar installer, operations manager and technical support specialist at SunGift Energy, is meeting students from Exeter College on Friday 6 March at Falcon House Construction Training Centre.

“This is a tremendously exciting time for students who are interested in a career in renewable energy – whether that’s Solar PV, solar thermal, biomass, heat pumps or wind turbines,” said Kevin. “Renewable energy has reached record levels, and with companies such as IKEA, British Telecom and Mars recently committing to procuring 100% of their energy from renewable sources, employment prospects in this area are only going to improve further.  While careers in fossil fuels companies will decline, renewable energy really is the future, so it makes sense for the next generation to understand the opportunities that are out there.”

SunGift itself started out as a one-man operation, before founder and managing director Gabriel Wondrausch took the opportunity to grow the Exeter-based company into a national player.  Seven years on and SunGift is now the UK Solar Installer of the Year, the most recommended renewable installer in the country, and it has a distribution arm that supplies the industry with some of the world’s most advances solar panels and components.

“Exeter students already have a great start, so this talk will hopefully give them further food for thought about where their future prospects lie,” added Kevin.  “I look forward to discussing the opportunities with them and helping to point them in the right direction.”

The ‘Careers in Renewable Energy’ session will take place at Exeter College’s Falcon House Construction Training Centre on Friday 6 March from 10am – 12.30pm.  It will include informative talks and questions and answers on all areas of renewable energy and is part of the college’s Progression and Employability Month activities, designed to help students plan for their future.