Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Careers in Energy
InDemand
Connecting today’s students with the careers of tomorrow Issue 2
CM
MY
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Contents
4 Your World of Energy
Did you know there are
thousands of people work-
6 Tap into Energy
The energy industry needs
workers, and it pays well.
ing behind the scenes every Your guide to what’s
time you turn on your out there and how much
light switch? you can earn.
Energy Industry
Profiles
There’s something for everyone in
the energy industry. Job titles
range almost from A to Z!
10 ASSET ANALYST
11 COMMODITY TRADER
12 CONSTRUCTION AND
WELL DRILLER
13 ELECTRICAL LINEWORKER How It All
14 ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST Fits Together
18 ENVIRONMENTAL You can’t go very far
ENGINEER without finding someone
who works in the energy
19 GEOSCIENTIST industry. All kinds of ener-
20 MECHANICAL gy sources power our lives.
ENGINEER
21 NUCLEAR
ENGINEER
22 PETROLEUM
ENGINEER
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InDemand
Careers in Energy
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Emily Stover DeRocco
Gardner E. Carrick
Katherine A. Allen
Rachel A. Cowgill
Dan W. Austell III
Monte E. Lutz
Denise Kennedy
THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
David C. Wagman
MANAGING EDITORS
John J. Kosowatz
William G. Krizan
Jan Tuchman
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Shostak Studios
Anna Egger-Schlesinger
Maritza C. Hurtado
23 Solar-Powered Adventures
College students use the sun in creative ways to
get a head start on energy careers.
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION
Agnes Barbara B. Montalban-Salvio
Virginia J. Camasca
Tom Nicholson
INDUSTRY ANALYTICS AND ALLIANCES
24
Harvey M. Bernstein
Technology is Changing
GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
the Energy Industry James Kerr
Sun, wind, ocean waves and sugar EDUCATION ADVISORS
Charlotte Frank, McGraw-Hill Education
beets have more in common than Cathy Scruggs, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
you may think. Learn more about ENERGY ADVISOR
John Kingston, Platts
these energy sources and other tech- MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION
nology breakthroughs that could be Michael Vincent
Ted Freedman
part of your energy future. Kathy Lavelle
CIRCULATION
Maurice Persiani
28 Resource Guide
Many organizations can help
you get started in energy careers. Find out how
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
Ike B. Chong
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Paul L. Bonington
to contact them. PUBLISHER
Mark Kelly
Solar
Gas
hot water, which likely came from a tank The energy we use comes from many
heated by either electricity or natural gas. different places. Fuels like oil, coal and
Energy is used there, too. Later, when it’s natural gas are found underground.
time to drive to the game, you might stop These are known as “fossil fuels.” Other
to fill up the tank, either with gasoline or fuels are “renewable.” That means they
diesel. Energy again. can be replaced more easily. Think of
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Energy
at Home
Look for some of these
energy users where you live.
2 Air Conditioner
2 Automobile
2 Computer
2 Dishwasher
Oil 2 DVD Player
2 Flashlight
2 Furnace
2 Hot Water Heater
2 Lamps/Lights
2 Lawn Mower
2 Microwave Oven
2 Portable Music Player
2 Refrigerator
2 Stove/Oven
2 Television/Radio
2 Toaster
the wind and the sun All of these energy
when you think of major sources let us do many 2 Trash Disposer
forms of renewable ener- different things.
PHOTOS, THIS PAGE: L RIG, PHOTODISC/GETTY IMAGES/VEER; NIAGARA FALLS, JON ARNOLD/
into biodiesel to power mon in cities and you live and play?
vehicles. These biomass towns around our
energy sources are renew- country. But places
able because they can be exist in the world
planted and harvested where electricity is just
year after year. now becoming avail-
Water can be an ener- able. One solution for
gy source too. If you’ve Hydropower these areas may be
ever seen a picture of rooftop solar panels or
Niagara Falls you know how much wind generators. No power lines, no
water spills over the falls. Not surpris- pollution, just the simple power of the
ingly, hydroelectric power stations use sun and wind. And the creativity of peo-
the energy from rushing water to spin ple working in the energy industry who
turbines, which make electricity. want to make a difference.
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The energy
industry needs
workers and it
pays well
By Housley Carr
Materials Engineer
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Geoscientist
PHOTOS PREVIOUS PAGE: SOLAR PANEL TECHNICIANS, CRAIG MILLER PRODUCTIONS AND DOE; LABORATORY; PHOTOS THIS
Some jobs
PAGE: MEN WORKING RIG, TYLER STABLEFORD/IMAGE BANK/GETTY IMAGES; GEOSCIENTIST, COURTESY OF HALLIBURTON
require scientific
and analytical
skills.
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Day
Statistics, a “rousta- Washington, D.C. She says that the en-
bout”—that is, a laborer ergy industry is wide open to everyone.
on an oil or natural gas rig— “It’s your talent that will determine how
earns $12.75 an hour, on aver- far you can go.”
Average annual salaries age. A derrick operator can earn And the range of jobs is almost un-
for energy professional staff $16.75 an hour and a rotary drill opera- limited. Some electric utilities now are
Accountants and Auditors $56,880 tor can earn almost $18.70 an hour. building their first new power plants in
Budget Analysts $59,100 Good-paying jobs also exist at elec- years. Coal-mining companies like
Business Operations tric utilities. “It’s not uncommon for Massey Energy say that one of their
someone with our two-year Associate’s biggest problems is finding enough
Specialists $57,660
degree in energy technology to earn up coal-mining equipment operators to
Civil Engineers $66,930
to $15 an hour in their first job and keep up with the demand for coal. Oil
Computer Operators $32,850
$25 an hour within three or four and natural gas companies face a simi-
Continuous Mining years,” says Barbara Hins-Turner, exec- lar need for workers to keep up with
Machine Operators $36,840 utive director of the Center of demand and create the next generation
Customer Service Excellence for Energy Technology at of energy professionals.
Representatives $29,130 Centralia College, a community col- Emerging renewable energy tech-
Derrick Operators, lege in Centralia, Wash. nologies like wind turbines also need
Oil and Gas $34,810 Centralia’s program trains students more workers. In West Texas where the
Electrical Engineers $74,220 with good math skills to be power plant wind blows consistently, hundreds of
Environmental Engineers $68,350 control operators, technicians and me- turbines are being installed to generate
Financial Analysts $70,500
Gas Plant Operators $50,660 The jobs are
General and Operations
Managers $92,010
definitely there,
Industrial Engineers $66,660 the pay is very
Lineworkers
Management Analysts
$48,570
$72,730
good, and
Mechanical Engineers $68,460 if you want,
Meter Readers $31,260 you can travel
Mining Machine Operators $35,710 Lineworker
Nuclear Power Reactor the world.
Operators $63,880 chanics, Hins-Turner says. power that is “clean,” meaning power
Petroleum Engineers $91,820 You can get your foot in the door at that is generated without releasing very
Power Distributors oil and natural gas companies without a many pollutants into the environment.
and Dispatchers $58,300 college degree. “Workers can enter the “There is tremendous potential for
Power Plant Operators $52,030 oil and [natural] gas extraction indus- young people in renewable energy,”
Rotary Drill Operators, try with a variety of educational back- says Herman Schellstede, president of
Oil and Gas $38,860 grounds,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wind Energy Systems Technology of
says. The most common entry-level New Iberia, La. He is planning one of
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas $26,500
field jobs usually require little or no the first offshore wind “farms”—with
Service Unit Operators,
previous training or experience. Other 50 turbines each 300 feet tall—in the
Oil, Gas, and Mining $33,380
PHOTO COURTESY OF NREL
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Energy
Industry
Job titles range so broadly they
almost make it from A to Z
Account Executive 2 Accountant 2 Administrative Assistant 2 Asset Analyst [10]
2 Billing Associate 2 Biologist 2 CAD Drafter 2 Chemical Engineer 2 Civil Engineer
2 Coal Miner 2 Commodity Trader [11] 2 Construction and Well Driller [12]
2 Customer Service Associate 2 Economist 2 Electrical Lineworker [13] 2 Electrical Engineer [14]
2 Electrician [15] 2 Energy Cost Analyst 2 Electrical & Instrumentation Field Technician [15]
2 Instrument and Control Room Operator 2 Marketing and Sales 2 Mechanical Engineer [20]
2 Meter Reader 2 Nuclear Engineer [21] 2 Permitting Manager 2 Petroleum Engineer [22]
2 Pipe Fitter 2 Power Plant Engineer 2 Powerhouse Supervisor 2 Product Developer 2 Real Estate Attorney
2 Refinery Engineer 2 Right-of-Way Agent 2 Risk Management Director 2 Roustabout 2 Safety Engineer 2
Systems Technician 2 Statistician 2 Truck Driver 2 Utility Regulator 2 Weather Forecaster 2 Wildcat Driller
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Most financial The salaries A: The best part about my job is acting as a liaison
clerks are re- paid in the fi- between two sides, say, on replacement power. There
quired to have Mid- nance field vary, is lots of conversation between my company and the
career
at least a high depending on other company we are buying power from or selling
$47,000
school diploma. the part of the power to. Part of my job is to make sure that all ideas
However, hav- country where are represented. As for career advancement, there are
Starting
ing completed salary you live and the so many different areas I can move to. The good
PHOTO BY RAY NG
some college is type and size of thing about my job is it exposes me to many differ-
$23,000
becoming more the business ent parts of the company. When you see the big pic-
important, par- you work for. ture, it really becomes intriguing.
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career
titude for num- is truly a job
$60,000
about
What technical jobs, more time working with clients, which I enjoy. To help
$47,500
training the pay can me reach the next level I’m working not only with
will I need? start at $70,000 my boss, but also with a service quality coach. That
To work as a con- a year and go person is a mentor within Schlumberger who offers
struction and well up from there. me advice, support and guidance.
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Apprentice Lineworker
Mid-
bright job op- career $100,000 a year, A: I like coming up with solutions to problems.
$68,000
portunities. The Starting depending on It feels good to see something I’ve helped design
salary
number of job experience, size being built on the manufacturing floor. There are
$44,000
openings from of the company also great opportunities to travel. We work hard, but
employment and level of we still have fun.
growth is ex- education.
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Q: How does the technology help the Q: How did you get interested in
environment? your field?
A: We send carbon dioxide to Canada where it’s inject- A: I started in the electrical field when I was 19 years
ed into the oil fields. That makes it easier to get oil out old. I was what is called an “inside wireman.”
of the ground. It also reduces emissions because the I worked mostly on construction jobs. I started at
carbon dioxide is pumped into the Earth instead of around $7 an hour. I worked my way up and became
being released into the air. a journeyman electrician making $21 an hour. Then
I switched jobs to work in a power plant and started
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or my apprentice training over again.
ten years?
A: I'm so new to this job, but I work with a guy who Q: What do you do every day?
knows the ins and outs of everything. I just want to A: The team I belong to works on the generators and
become a clone of him. maintains all the transformers at the power plant.
We maintain all our own elevators, ventilating sys-
tems, cranes and blowers. We just came out of a
maintenance outage where we worked six 10-hour
days for six weeks.
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Asset Analyst 7
1 One key area for any business is
its finances. Projects have to be done
within budgets. A financial analyst at
an energy company keeps track of how
money is spent. Sara Trujillo works as
part of an eight-person financial analy-
sis team for an electric utility (page 10).
Commodity Trader
2 Traders buy and sell large volumes
10
of energy products such as crude oil,
natural gas and heating oil for large cor-
9
porations and investors. Remy Wagman 5 1
began working at the New York
Mercantile Exchange in high school.
Today, he’s a crude-oil trader (page 11).
Construction &
3 Well Driller
Much of the fuel we use to heat our
homes and run our appliances comes
from fossil sources. Many jobs involve
looking for and recovering fossil fuels. Electrical Engineer industry. Ryan Ahlschlager works in a
Josh DeMond works for a company that 5 Hydrogen is an energy source coal gasification plant (page 15).
drills for natural gas (page 12). that offers many career choices. One
such career involves hydrogen fuel cells. Electrican
Electrical Lineworker JoAnne Sheng Zheng works for a com- 7 Like any machine, a power plant
4 Lineworkers install or repair pany that designs and builds fuel cell needs regular care and upkeep. The
power lines. After a storm, lineworkers power generators (page 14). power plant where James Leach works
repair any damage. They also maintain in Texas has almost 90,000 moving
existing lines and expand or upgrade Electrical & Instrumen- parts. James keeps the power plant’s
6
ILLUSTRATION BY RON CHAN
networks to meet changing demands. tation Field Technician electrical systems running (page 15).
Christopher Cook traveled from his Coal gasification takes coal and converts
home in Arkansas to Louisiana and later it to gas, which then may be used as fuel Environmental
to Florida to help repair hurricane dam- in a power plant. Many people see this 8 Engineer
age to electrical lines (page 13). as an emerging technology for the coal Electric power plants emit less pollution
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3
11
12
6
than they did 30 years ago. One job Mechanical Engineer nuclear as an energy source for the fu-
focuses on the environmental systems 10 Chris Van Dyke and Ed ture, some are working on next-genera-
that a power plant must operate. Sarah McCullough were friends and class- tion designs. Sama Bilbao y Leon works
Butrymowicz works on environmental mates at Stanford University. Both now at a Virginia nuclear plant (page 21).
engineering issues (page 18). work for a company called H2Gen
Innovations, near Washington, D.C. Petroleum Engineer
Geoscientist The company is involved in hydrogen
12 Coaxing oil or natural gas to flow
9 Oil, gas and mineral resources technology, an emerging energy source out of the ground combines science and
are found underground. Geoscientists for the future (page 20). creative thinking. Petroleum engineers
study rock formations to solve the puz- figure out how to make oil and gas wells
zle of where resources might be found. Nuclear Engineer as productive as possible for as long as
Ingrid Cordon uses technology that lets
11 Nuclear engineers work in power possible. Mike Lattibeaudiere works as
her hunt for energy almost anywhere in plants whose fuel is the energy released part of a team to make oil and natural
the world, from her office (page 19). by splitting atoms. As interest grows for gas wells top producers (page 22).
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Environmental Analyst
This career is lus) and science (biology,
chemistry and physics)
emerging as and courses in English, Q: How did you become interested in
a well-known social studies and com- your career?
puter and information A: Growing up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota,
specialty technologies. Bachelor’s I loved outdoor activities and was good in math and
of its own. degree programs in science in school. When I started to think about col-
engineering typically last lege majors, I put together the two interests I liked
environmental engineers will four years. In a typical four- the most and settled on environmental engineering
be needed to comply with year curriculum, the first two as a career.
clean air and water regula- years are spent studying math,
tions. A shift in emphasis basic sciences, introductory Q: What do you do?
toward preventing problems engineering, humanities and A: My main job is to help make sure that the compa-
will also spur demand in social sciences. In the last two ny’s power plants make electricity as environmental-
these careers. Employment years, most courses are in ly friendly as they can. On a typical work day, I call the
is expected to increase engineering, usually with a power plants I am responsible for. I ask if the power
much faster than average focus in one branch. plants have any projects coming up that may need
through 2012. permits to comply with clean air and water rules. I
What will I earn? also write reports, which are submitted to govern-
What Salaries for ment agencies that track compliance with environ-
training environmental mental laws.
will I need? Environmental engineers range
People interest- Engineer from $38,000 to Q: What do you like best about your job?
ed in an envi-
Salaries Senior $95,000. In a A: The best part of my job is seeing a project
$95,000
ronmental recent survey, through from start to end. The project might be to
engineering Bachelor’s de- install new equipment at a power plant. I help eval-
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE RAU
career usually gree candidates uate the equipment to make sure it meets all the
earn at least a Starting received start- rules. I also get permission from government agen-
Bachelor of ing offers aver- cies to do the project and make sure the equipment
$38,000
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Starting
derstanding of paid workers
$68,000
energy systems; in mechanical Chris: The fact that the people here are willing to give
PHOTOS COURTESY OF H2GEN
Technician
applied me- engineering re- me responsibility.When our machine absolutely needs
$41,000
chanics; manu- ceived starting to work, I am the person who will be the most to blame
facturing; offers averaging if it fails.
materials; plant almost $50,000 Ed: If I can come up with the best idea and convince
engineering a year. everybody else, then we go ahead and do it.
CHART SOURCE: U.S. DEPT. OF LABOR, BLS
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Nuclear Engineer
After
concentrating on five salaries in petro- pendently to design what we call a “stimulation”
years
basic engineer- leum engineer- process. After that I go on site and work with the
$83,000
ing courses dur- Starting ing average drillers and safety engineers to stimulate the well
ing your first two
salary
about $56,000 and get the oil or gas flowing.
$50,000
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Solar-
Powered
Adventure
hoose your own adventure,
says Jeff Lyng. He should
know. He has had quite an
adventure for the past two
The winning CU Solar
and a half years. water, cooking and even to run canola and Decathlon house (above).
Jeff is 26 and attends the a battery-powered car. The coconut. The Jeff Lyng (inset) led a
team of 20 students.
University of Colorado (CU) in students took their house to house uses 32
Boulder. He’s getting a Master’s Washington, D.C., and com- rooftop solar panels, which After a weeklong competi-
degree in civil engineering. But peted against 17 other colleges make electricity using energy tion, Jeff and his team were
you might say he’s really been from the U.S., Puerto Rico, from the sun. The students chosen as the 2005 Solar
studying Solar Decathlon. Canada and Spain in the 2005 even made sure the house was Decathlon winners. The victo-
Jeff led 20 other CU stu- Solar Decathlon. pulled from Colorado to ry was CU’s second in a row.
dents who designed, built and Washington with a truck that As part of the Solar
tested a house that uses as Really Home Grown! ran on biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel Decathlon, the 18 college
many renewable energy sys- The CU house is made from is made of the same kind of teams were tested and graded
tems as it can. The systems renewable materials, which vegetable oil that’s used to cook on 10 different items, including
make power for lights, hot include soy, corn, sunflower, french fries. design, lighting, appliances and
hot water production.
Driven To Win
Racing Solar Cars Teams also competed in a “get-
The American Solar Challenge is a ting around” contest. Using
competition for college students power from their houses’ solar
to design, build and race panels, they charged up electric
solar-powered cars in a cars and earned points based
cross-country event. The on how far the cars traveled.
Challenge, held annually, is The CU team car traveled
a “hands-on” chance for stu- the farthest. A student drove
dents and engineers to devel- 325 miles around the streets of
op and demonstrate their abilities. Washington, D.C., at an aver-
age speed of about 15 mph.
PHOTOS BY DOE/NREL AND CU
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ig changes are
coming to the energy
industry, and technology
is leading the way.
Picture this: Geologists who
are looking for oil and natu-
ral gas use computers to take 3-D pictures
of rocks they think may hold the resource.
These pictures help them “see” where to
drill, boosting the chances of finding natu-
ral gas or oil. Once the fossil fuel is found,
drillers can use directional drilling tech-
nology to make as small a mark as possi-
ble on environmentally delicate areas.
Now think about technologies that are
changing how electricity is made. Solar,
wind, biomass and other renewable fuels
are getting lots of attention. There even
are some forms of energy you may never
have thought about, like hydrogen and
ocean tidal power.
Technology
is Changing the Sound interesting? Here are some of
the technologies that are changing the
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Biodiesel
one step farther. A special two-way plug
Other
allows car owners to sell extra electricity
made by their cars’ batteries. They can
sell it to the local utility!
Cleaner-burning alternative fuels may
eventually become as common as petro-
leum. One such fuel is biodiesel, made
Renewable
from common vegetable oil. Energy
Hydrogen
One path to energy independence may
lead through hydrogen power, an almost
Biodiesel fuel has no petroleum
in it, but it can be blended to
create fuel for use in diesel
Sources
never-ending, pollution-free fuel that engines, says Amber Thurlo 2 Solar Energy
could power a new type of car—the hy- Pearson of the National from the sun can
drogen fuel-cell vehicle. Scientists think Biodiesel Board. Biodiesel be used to make
wind power one day may be the best way is simple to use, biodegrad- electricity. Solar
to make hydrogen. Almost any site with able, nontoxic and largely panels already may
steady and strong winds could potential- free of odor. Nearly 100 pro- be seen on many
ly host a hydrogen-production facility. duction plants could be up and buildings and signs.
Hydrogen can also be made from running within a few years, she says. 2 Wind Wind energy tech-
waste aluminum (soda cans) through a From new ways to make fuels, to nologies convert wind into elec-
chemical reaction with lye, an ingredi- high-tech tools to help engineers look tricity. Some experts think this
ent used in soap, according to the for hidden resources, to futuristic ideas source could supply 20 percent
Hydrogen Energy Center. for using sun and wind power, technolo- of our nation’s electricity.
gy is changing our energy world. One
2 Ocean In addition to tidal
Fuel Cells thing is certain. There will be more energy, there’s energy from the
The U.S. space program first used hy- change ahead as the next generation of ocean’s waves, which are driven
drogen fuel cells in the 1960s to make workers start energy careers. both by the tides and the winds.
electricity for its spacecraft.
Here on Earth fuel cells could one 2 Geothermal Energy plants
tap the Earth’s interior heat to
day replace standard engines in cars and
warm homes, offices, green-
trucks because they are energy-efficient
houses, fish farms, and other fa-
and clean, says Renée Nault, of Argonne
cilities. In California, geothermal
National Laboratory.
PHOTO THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY; COURTESY OF HALLIBURTON; NREL.
Funabout
Facts
Energy
8. How much
energy is packed into
a hurricane with
90-m.p.h. winds?
Answer: About 100 times
more energy than is produced
by all the world’s electric
power plants combined.
Answer: Petroleum! In the SOURCE: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC/NOAA
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Resource Guide
Dozens of professional organizations,
government web sites and trade unions
exist to help you learn more about
energy and energy careers. Here is a
sampling of resources to get you started.
PROFESSIONAL American Petroleum
AND INDUSTRY Society
ORGANIZATIONS (202) 682-8000
www.energyprofessions.org
American Academy of
Environmental Engineers American Public Gas
(410) 266-3311 Association
www.aaee.net (202) 464-2742
The Academy was founded www.apga.org
in 1955 to improve the prac-
tice, elevate the standards, American Public Power
and enhance public recogni- Association
tion of environmental engi- (202) 467-2900
neering through a www.appanet.org
certification program for American Public Works
qualified engineers. Association
(202) 408-9541 Association of Energy Gas Technology Institute
American Association of
www.apwa.net Engineers (773) 399-8100
Petroleum Geologists
(770) 447-5083 www.gastechnology.org
(918) 584-2555 American Society of www.aeecenter.org
www.aapg.org Civil Engineers Geological Society of
Members nationwide help
(800) 548-2723 companies increase energy America
American Association of
www.asce.org efficiency, enhance environ- (303) 447-2020
Professional Landmen
mental management pro- www.geosociety.org
(817) 847-7700 American Society of
www.landman.org Mechanical Engineers grams, upgrade plant Geothermal Energy
(800) 843-2763 operations and improve Association
American Coal Foundation equipment performance.
www.asme.org (202) 454-5261
(202) 463-9785
Association of Energy www.geo-energy.org
www.teachcoal.org American Society for
Engineering Education Services Professionals Independent Petroleum
American Gas Association (512) 864-7200
(202) 331-3537 Association of America
(202) 824-7000 www.aesp.org
www.engineeringk12.org (202) 857-4722
www.aga.org
Association for Women www.ipaa.org
American Solar Energy Society
American (303) 443-3130 Geoscientists Inroads
Geophysical Union www.awg.org
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES/BRAND X PICTURES
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Guidance Counselors
Calling
) All Mentors
Parents,Teachers and Counselors
Can Help Students Learn More about
Energy Careers
Tips for
Guidance
Counselors...
Give your advisees something new and
exciting to consider: a future in the en-
ergy industry. Energy is one of the most
in-demand sectors and opportunities
are growing every day. Many employers
are turning to high school guidance
counselors to tell a new generation of
workers about this area of career op-
portunity. A great place to start is
www.careervoyages.com/careeradvi-
sors-main.cfm.
If you have students interested in
pursuing college degrees in the field,
a helpful list of academic programs
and institutions in the country can be
found at www.eere.energy.gov/educa-
tion/higher_education_programs.html.
PHOTO: STEVE MCALISTER/THE IMAGE BANK/GETTY IMAGES
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Teachers
different aspects of the industry. For a books.htm.
government listing of related intern- You can find still more
ships, check out http://www.eere curriculum aids at the
Internships may be one
.energy.gov/education/internships.html. Energy Information way your students can
This is one of many online sources for Administration web site
student internships, fellowships, and www.eia.doe.gov/kids.
gain experience in the
scholarships in energy. Browse the site for many energy industry.
classroom activity ideas
Staying on Top of It All including solar-powered cooking, natu- Raising Awareness
Make contacts with schools and compa- ral refrigeration, undersea petroleum Have a group of students each evaluate
nies and learn what they are looking for. recovery and measuring electricity. an energy source using a 1-to-5 rubric,
Expand your knowledge of emerging Look also for good ideas at the which includes knowledge of the ener-
and changing careers. Good sources are National Science Teachers Association gy source, content of the presentation,
publications such as Scientific American website www.nsta.org. There you will level of participation in the research
(www.sciam.com), the Wall Street find an “energy primer,” which discuss- and presentation, and design and cre-
Journal (www.wsj.com) and Business es energy in general, sources of energy, ativity of the presentation.
Week (www.businessweek.com). If your fossil fuels, renewable energy, and so Discuss findings, emphasizing the
school offers career and technical edu- forth. Also included are lesson plans for idea that every energy source has ad-
cation classes, spend some time in educators and experiments that your vantages and disadvantages.
them. Getting to know the fields you’re students can try on their own.
promoting will make them come alive
to students. Remind students that there Encourage Their Thinking
is a clear link between what they’re
learning in high school today and their
Help your students design and conduct
experiments with a glow-in-the-dark NEED
future success. Offer examples of prac-
tical, real-world ways in which students
object to answer the following questions
related to energy: Can
will be able to use what they learned
that day. 2 Does the intensity of the light emit-
ted by a glow-in-the-dark object
Help
National Energy Education De-
Where Do I Go from Here? depend on the intensity of the ab-
A great jumping off point is www.ca- sorbed light? velopment (NEED) is a non-profit
reervoyages.com/careeradvisors- organization promoting an under-
main.cfm. This web site is maintained 2 Does the color of the light emitted standing of energy’s scientific, eco-
by the Department of Labor and has a by a glow-in-the-dark object depend nomic and environmental impacts.
great deal of useful information for stu- on the color of the absorbed light? www.need.org.
dents and mentors alike.
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)
Dear Outlook Handbook” published by the
))
U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Bureau of Labor
Parents, Statistics. The handbook is a good
source of career information designed
Talking
Going to college is not necessary to to help people making decisions about
have a successful career in energy. But
an important starting place for your
their future work lives. Revised every
two years, the handbook describes what Points
child is a high school diploma. Encour- workers do on the job, working condi-
age your teen to take as many courses in tions, the training and education need- 2 When I Was Your Age
math and science as possible. Help them ed, earnings and expected job prospects Talk about your experi-
learn to speak and write effectively. in a wide range of occupations. Look ences with job searches.
for more information online Share what you found
at www.bls.gov/OCC. helpful after high school
Make good use of
You’ll find dozens of your local public library, ca-
and what you wish you
had done differently.
helpful career resources. reer center and school guid-
Having open and honest
ance office. These sources
Some students choose to show a college maintain a wealth of up-to-date materi- conversations with your
they are ready to pursue a degree in en- al. Librarians can be a great resource teen will encourage him
ergy by taking a college course in high and can save you time by directing you or her to come to you with
school. Summer programs are some- to valuable information. questions.
times available that are geared toward Take time to visit the Dept. of
high school students. Talk to your Labor’s web site CareerOneStop. 2 Love What You Do
school’s guidance counselor or look on- This site includes America’s Job Bank, A good way to start is to
line to see what nearby colleges offer. America’s Career InfoNet and get a sense of your child’s
Try the Department of Energy web site: America’s Service Locator. Look for all interests. Think of three
humancapital.doe.gov/pers/SPEM/sumI three online at www.careeronestop.org. things that your teen is re-
ndex.htm. Doing a basic word Also look online for federal grant,
ally good at and some
search for “energy” on a site like loan and work-study programs for col-
things he or she loves to
www.studentjobs.gov may give you lege. Visit www.ed.gov/offices/
more good ideas. OSFAP/Students.
do. Ask your child to do
Get a copy of the “Occupational the same. Focus on the
areas where skills match.
32 | www.careervoyages.gov
Job Corps Ad-energy.pdf 11/11/05 11:22:58 AM
CM
MY
CY
CMY
Work Hard.
Play Hard.
Job Corps is your opportunity. Take the next steps to career success.
Job Corps offers training for 100 careers in a variety of industries ranging from construction and computers
to healthcare, hospitality and more. Through career counseling, training and job placement programs, we
help you achieve financial success and independence. Find out how by visiting the Job Corps center near you
or going to http://jobcorps.doleta.gov.
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