Grad Gallery: Seranya Moodley

LinkedIn: bit.ly/2QDZTOD

Current position:

Renewable Energy Engineer at DNV, Energy Systems

Past positions:

Study and Design Engineer at EDF Renewables

Candidate Mechanical Engineer at AECOM

Academic history:

2019 Master of Engineering specialising in Mechanical Engineering at Stellenbosch University

2016 Bachelor of Science Honours in Engineering specialising in Mechanical Engineering at UCT

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How did you obtain your position?

I am a long-time admirer of DNV and had closely followed their industry leading work over the years. When an opportunity opened I applied through the job portal of the company. I had met some of the team while I was still a student, and this helped me to understand the work and industry much more clearly and provided guidance for me to understand the experience I needed.

What do your day-to-day responsibilities look like?

My day-to-day responsibilities include carrying out tasks such as Energy Production Assessments, site visits, construction and operation monitoring and technical due diligence for exciting renewable energy projects across Southern Africa and other regional areas across the Middle East and Europe. Other aspects I have the opportunity to get involved in, is research and development into new ideas within the renewable energy market. No day is the same! DNV is an independent technical advisory, and I work within the Energy Systems Unit.

In South Africa, the energy industry is about to get very exciting as the government plans to roll out the REIPPP Bid Window 5 – which is a procurement for new renewable energy generation.

What are the key skills that have contributed to your success so far?

A key skill is to often accustom yourself to new information in a short time. As the industry rapidly evolves, you are constantly challenged with new technologies, new projects and new ways of thinking. Being adaptable, passionate and curious have allowed me to overcome many challenges.

What value do your qualifications add to your work?

My qualifications were a direct requirement for my role. My masters degree specialised in renewable energy technologies. Indirectly, I believe the work ethic and growth during the course of an engineering degree makes you well equipped to face the challenges of working in industry, such as effectively consuming large amounts of information, staying focused and organised and delivering high quality complex work in short timeframes.

Stay informed about what is happening in the industry, even from the sidelines, this will help keep your knowledge relevant.

Any advice for graduates currently entering your industry?

I would say if you don’t know where you want to work yet or haven’t quite discovered your passion, or perhaps your dream job is not hiring at the moment, it is worth searching, being patient and never giving up. Keep looking forward and make sure you learn from every opportunity. Use your network to find out about an industry – people are much more friendly than you think and are willing to help! Stay informed about what is happening in the industry, even from the sidelines, this will help keep your knowledge relevant.

What impact has COVID-19 had on your career and industry?

I would say it has had minimal impact on my career because my work is largely part of the ”digital economy” and can be successfully done remotely. As an industry there have of course been setbacks, as delays in construction have meant that projects, contracts and site work have been negatively impacted. Stricter protocols on COVID-19 compliance also mean that travel is limited, as was delivery of site equipment during the level 5 lockdown.

How do you see your industry changing in the near future?

In South Africa, the energy industry is about to get very exciting as the government plans to roll out the REIPPP Bid Window 5 – which is a procurement for new renewable energy generation. Globally I see the industry emerging to even greater portfolios as countries race to meet their carbon reduction targets and meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. This means finding solutions to integrate a high penetration of renewables into grid networks, long duration storage, and integrating different energy generation technologies to work together optimally. Already we see data analytics and AI playing a major role in plant operation and design optimisation. We are able to learn much faster from operational plants and make improvements to future models and designs – which means we can get more clean, reliable energy onto the grid more efficiently!

Use your network to find out about an industry – people are much more friendly than you think and are willing to help!