Graduate Q&A: Decarbonising our energy system

Who are you, what is your job role and what do you do?

I’m Haulwen Goldie-Jones, and I am a Strategic Development Engineer at SSEN Distribution. I work in the Whole System team, and we look at the long-term strategic planning of our Distribution electricity network out to 2050 with a whole-system approach. 

This means we work with groups and others in the energy sector to look at the energy needs of our area. As a team we work across the two licence areas operated by SSEN, one being in central southern England and the other being in the north of Scotland – this means that I’m involved in work across two diverse networks.

Can you tell us about any current projects that you’re working on?

My team is currently working on creating the Strategic Development Plans which provide a high-level view of forecast system needs on our network out to 2050 in line with Distribution Future Energy Scenarios (DFES), which are studies which predict demand. 

Strategic Development Plans each cover a specific area of the network, so I understand insights from stakeholders in the local area, assess the current network and then look at the impact of demand growth through network modelling. This produces a list of constraints from which I use to provide high-level options considering a broad view of the network. 

At a time where there are significant changes happening in our electricity and energy systems, it’s really rewarding to be working on the strategic approach to developing our network to enable decarbonisation of homes, communities and businesses.

What was your career path and how did it lead you to where you are now?

When I was at school, I loved art as well as maths and science. This, paired with an ambition to pursue a career working towards achieving net zero led me to study a degree in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. When I graduated, I was keen to join the energy sector and had a particular interest in electricity networks. This was due to the important part they play in decarbonising our energy system and the opportunities which lie at a local level as new distributed energy resources such as solar panels and batteries become more common. I joined SSEN Distribution on their two-year graduate programme in 2022 which kickstarted my career. 

The graduate programme moved me across the business from areas such as fault management in Customer Operations to the delivery of major projects under Large Capital Delivery and to the innovation projects ‘Transition’ and ‘Project LEO’. This gave me the opportunity to gain experience in different areas and learn where I most enjoyed working.  When the graduate programme came to an end in September 2024, I joined the Whole System team where I am today.  

What do you enjoy most about your current role and company?

Two things come to mind which are quite unique about my role at the moment. Firstly, I’m an engineer, so I get to be involved with the technical side of our team, for example through network modelling. However, another aspect to my role is to work with people in local authorities, to make sure we’re building a network which meets the needs of our communities. It’s an important part of engineering to make sure we are acting in a way which is serving our communities, so I’ve enjoyed being able to do this so directly.

I joined the company through the graduate scheme, and throughout my time on the programme and now in my substantive post, there’s been a culture towards supporting and progressing developing engineers. Alongside my role, I sit on the Engineering Growth Hub, which is a dedicated Forum for supporting engineers throughout their careers. This has enabled me to work with engineers at all levels, and to contribute to ensuring professional development is continually supported. Being in a role and company where professional development is highly valued is something very important to me, particularly at this point in my career. 

What would be your main piece of advice to students looking to pursue a career in engineering?

When you’re looking to start a new career in any discipline, it can take time to figure out what area is right for you and what roles you are interested in, and two key things come to mind. The start of a career can be stressful and difficult, so look after your wellbeing, look to your support network to support you, and ask them for help if you need it. 

I’d really recommend finding a mentor to support you professionally, as they’ll have been in a similar position, and may have had a mentor previously who helped them. Look to friends, family, and colleagues around you who may be able to offer some advice, a new perspective, or even just an empathetic ear, and in turn support others who’re in the same boat if you’re able. 

The second thing I would suggest is to look for opportunities where you can have a degree of flexibility to try new things: this may be through a graduate programme, trying different internships, or being open to different development opportunities in your role.

Before you start your career, it can be difficult to know what roles are out there and what you enjoy, but by broadening your experience at the start, you can learn what you love as well as widen your understanding. There are a multitude of roles in engineering with rewarding opportunities which can have a significant impact on the world around you, so keep an open mind to what could be a good fit for you.

Haulwen Goldie-Jones, Strategic Development Engineer at SSEN Distribution.

The Student Engineer is a special channel of The Engineer aimed at educating and inspiring engineering undergraduates about the career opportunities in engineering and also offering practical advice on how they can access these opportunities. 

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