3rd October 2024

Keep reading to find out how Chloe has used her experience to positively influence project decisions and key milestones, including Caledonia’s upcoming consent application submission.

Can you describe yourself in three words?

Outgoing, ambitious and dynamic.

Within my role, I thrive in a collaborative team setting and always seek out other colleagues’ support and ideas. I’m also versatile and can adapt to different situations and people to achieve what’s best for the project.

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You went to university and gained a BSc in Earth Sciences, what led you to this course?

I have always been very curious and keen to know more about the world we live in from a young age.

During school, geography quickly became my favourite class. My inquisitive nature thrived in a subject which allowed me to explore and gain answers about the way things around us work. I discovered that I enjoyed hands on learning and spending time outside on field trips as opposed to being restricted to the classroom.

When it came to harnessing all this into a university course that suited me, Earth Science ticked all the boxes. I spent four years outside in my waterproofs and gained a BSc from the University of Glasgow.

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What drew you to the offshore wind industry?

A rewarding engineering internship at Jacobs during my undergraduate degree encouraged me to return to studying, this time at the University of Strathclyde where I gained an MSc in Civil Engineering and Project Management.

I then joined SSEN Transmission as a graduate and completed a two-year rotational scheme which involved spending time on site and in the office. I undertook placements across various business areas, including project engineering, transmission system planning and investment, network development, commissioning, construction, project management and procurement and commercial.

My role soon became focussed on delivering transmission infrastructure and connections projects. This was when I started to become more aware of the renewables industry and the developers working within it.

I could immediately tell it was an exciting period for the renewables industry and recognised its importance in helping the UK to achieve its Net Zero targets. Coming from a background in power transmission, I understood offshore wind at a high level but was keen to become more involved.

I made the transition across to Ocean Winds in early 2024 to improve my understanding of the renewable energy industry, as well as the GB energy system overall.

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Can you tell us about your role as a Transmission Infrastructure Project Engineer?

Although Caledonia is an offshore wind project, I am one of the few members of the team who works solely on the onshore elements of the project.

My role involves developing the onshore infrastructure for Caledonia, including the export cables which bring the power onshore from the wind farm, and the onshore substation, which will connect Caledonia to the grid. This work will eventually inform the physical construction of the project, but first we have the all-important consents applications to submit before getting there.

My typical workday involves managing various contractors undertaking design and surveying work for the onshore elements of the project, monitoring and understanding project risk as the project progresses, and managing interfaces between the various disciplines in the team to ensure a coherent engineering design.

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Consent applications for Caledonia will be submitted by the end of the year, how does your role support this milestone in the project?

My role involves working closely with our Onshore Consents Manager, Ruaridh, to ensure the onshore elements of the project are sufficiently technically developed to provide the parameters we require to undertake a full environmental impact assessment for the onshore infrastructure. This will support with the consents application, which is a huge project milestone.

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What has been the main highlight of working on the Caledonia project so far?

A key highlight for me has been bringing my experience in developing onshore transmission infrastructure into the team and using this to positively influence project decisions and to map out key milestones in the project.

Since joining in February, the project has made significant progress, and we are now starting to look ahead to construction following the submission and outcome of the consent applications.

I also find it empowering to work in a team which is made up of around 50% women, which is quite rare in this field. As an industry, it’s recognised we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion and diversity, and to me, the team structure within Caledonia highlights that we are moving in the right direction.

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You’re relatively early on in your career, how has Ocean Winds supported your learning and development so far?

Ocean Winds provide all staff with core training sessions aimed at improving our knowledge of the offshore wind industry, which I found very useful as someone who came across from a different background. It gave me the opportunity to develop my offshore wind knowledge very early on in my role.

In addition to core training, Ocean Winds provide external training opportunities. They have supported my career ambitions by allowing me to gain a project fundamentals qualification through the Association of Project Management.

Ocean Winds also recognise and support my professional development journey as a civil engineer by sponsoring my chartership with the Institution of Civil Engineers. I’m very grateful for the support I have received just seven months into my role here.

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What excites you most about your future career in offshore wind?

I’m still early on in my offshore wind career, but I’ve found that the opportunities available within the industry for myself and my colleagues as early career professionals are amazing.

At Ocean Winds, the project portfolio is undergoing a lot of growth, with plenty of opportunities to be involved in projects of a significant scale across the world. It’s inspiring and gives me the desire and determination to take chances in my career, to push myself outside of my comfort zone and try something new.

The challenge associated with working in this industry also keeps me driven. Every day we are solving new problems which feed into a much bigger picture and no two days working on Caledonia feel the same.

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What is the best professional advice you can give?

You’ve got to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and take the opportunities in front of you – it’s how you learn the most about yourself and what you are capable of. Also, embrace learning through mentorship. This is so important as a young professional. Although this should be practiced throughout your career; you’ll never know everything and there is always something to learn from the people around you.

Most importantly, believe in yourself! It’s easy to feel lost in a room full of people who are far more experienced than you are, but being able to trust in your own capability is one of the best skills an engineer can acquire.

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Tell us something about yourself that would be a surprise to most people.

Earth Sciences was not my first choice for a university course. I started to study Law straight out of school as I went through a period of watching too many episodes of Suits.

As it turns out, formal dress and learning Latin was not for me, and I was much more suited to walking boots, mud and rocks. So, I went back to the University of Glasgow the following year to study Earth Sciences.

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