Engineering student Emily achieves offshore wind turbine apprenticeship
“I hope my experience encourages more girls to consider engineering and renewable energy as a career path because there are so many opportunities available, and it is such a rewarding industry to be part of.”
Emily Hopkins is an electrical engineering student at Coleg Sir Gâr who has secured an apprenticeship as an offshore wind turbine apprentice at Sofia Offshore Wind Farm.
Emily, 17, from Llanelli, will be working for RWE, one of the world’s leading generators of electricity from renewable energy sources.
For the first two years, Emily will undertake college-based training in Rhyl whilst living in Chester.
Later on in her apprenticeship, she will move to Grimsby to take on more practical training before being located offshore at Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the North Sea which involves a 15-hour boat journey from port.
Emily was one of 30 to 40 applicants shortlisted for interview from around 3,000 applications.
Explaining the process, Emily said: “The interview took place in Leeds and involved several stages, including an interview, a team task with people I had never met before and a five-minute presentation about myself and why I would be suitable for the apprenticeship.
“It was definitely nerve-racking at times, especially presenting and working under pressure, but it also pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped build my confidence.
“Although it was intense, it was a really good experience overall because it gave me the opportunity to challenge myself, meet new people, and learn more about the industry and the company.”
At the end of her apprenticeship, Emily will become a qualified and experienced offshore wind turbine technician.
Currently completing an EAL technical extended diploma in engineering technologies, Emily says she is excited to have the opportunity to work on such a large-scale renewable energy project and to gain experience within the offshore wind industry.
Emily Hopkins added: “I feel incredibly grateful and proud to have secured this apprenticeship because it is such an amazing opportunity and a huge achievement for me personally. It feels rewarding to see all the hard work I have put in pay off.
“I feel very lucky to have had the support from my college, tutors, family, and everyone who helped me throughout this journey.
“Engineering is still a male-dominated industry, so being able to achieve something like this as a young woman means a lot to me.
“I hope my experience encourages more girls to consider engineering and renewable energy as a career path because there are so many opportunities available, and it is such a rewarding industry to be part of.”
Karen Flannery, head of engineering at Coleg Sir Gâr said: “Emily is a remarkable young woman who I believe will go on to great things in the world of engineering. I am so proud of her.”
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During my first year at Coleg Sir Gâr, one of my engineering tutors introduced my class to a competition opportunity called WorldSkills UK. There were several different engineering categories available to enter, but the Renewable Energy competition immediately stood out to me because I had already started learning about renewable energy during my studies.
I applied for the competition and successfully made it through the entry stage, which led to travelling to Doncaster for the qualifiers. After competing there, I progressed even further and had the opportunity to compete against people from across the UK for a place on the UK squad.
Throughout the competition, my interest in renewable energy grew massively. I was able to work with different types of renewable energy equipment and gain hands-on experience in the sector. One area I found particularly interesting was working with equipment that simulated a wind turbine system, which really sparked my interest in offshore wind energy.
During the competition, I also had the chance to speak with an apprentice from RWE who was training to become an Offshore Wind Turbine Technician. Speaking to someone already in the role helped me understand the career path much more clearly and made me realise this was something I could genuinely see myself doing. That conversation, combined with my experience during WorldSkills UK, played a huge part in inspiring me to apply for the apprenticeship.![Emily head shot with the words renewable energy on a roller banner behind her]()
