Energy and utilities : Overview

The industry in a nutshell

The UK’s energy and utilities industry is a vast and diverse sector comprising:

• the oil, petroleum and gas;
• nuclear power and coal;
• water and waste management;
• renewable energy industries;
• energy conservation organisations.

The sector plays an indispensable role in the global economy, with fossil fuels considered among the world's most important resources. However, the industry has been affected by the recent economic crisis, as well as the increasing regulations relating to climate change.

The opportunities within these sectors are huge, with the sector employing over 530,000 people. It is believed that around 14,000 people expected to be recruited over the next 10 years. (Energy & Utility Skills , 2009)

What kind of work can I do?

The energy and utilities industry employs people with a variety of skill levels across the oil, electricity, nuclear, gas, coal, water, waste management and renewable energy industries. The areas of work within the industry include:

• engineers work on the design, research, testing, commissioning and installation of energy equipment. Also responsible for drilling and exploration;
• consultants advise a range of clients on energy and conservation best solutions for their business needs;
• ecologists are concerned with ecosystems as a whole and the relationships between organisms and their environment, liaising with various professions within the energy industry;
• geologists study sedimentary basins applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration);
• research scientists develop and test new technologies and alternative sources of energy;
• support staff include selling, marketing, human resources, health and safety, accountancy and IT.

What’s it like working in this sector?

• Generally the energy and utility industry has a culture of being relatively recession resistant, and plays a key role in the global economy. It is affected by increases in fossil fuel prices and government interventions on tackling climate change and emissions.
• Working conditions vary greatly across the industry with some roles such as design or research having typical working hours, nine to five, Monday to Friday; while others such as engineering or technical specialists working more unsocial hours.
• The work can be office, laboratory or site based, with site visits and field work being conducted outside in all weathers. Some jobs may be off-shore in remote and isolated locations.
• Job roles adapt constantly to the many changes and developments through legislation, political and environmental issues and technological advances.
• Salaries vary considerably across the industry and according to the location, sector and size of the employing organisation, with salaries normally higher offshore.
• The average graduate starting salary is around £20,000 - £25,000. Salaries in certain industries such as energy engineering can exceed £50,000.
• Women make up 24% of the workforce, with the density of female workers particularly low in the electricity and waste management industries. However within the administrative and secretarial occupations females make up 67-68%, and in sales and customer services, around 59% of those employed are female. (Energy & Utility Skills)
• Energy & Utility Skills run the ‘Women & Work: Sector Pathways Initiative’ which aims to raise recruitment levels in sectors where women are under-represented, increase earning potential and aid career progression.
• Across the energy and utilities sectors, 4-7% of the workforce is from a black multi-ethnic background which is lower than the national average. The majority of the workforce is in the 25-54 bracket (Energy & Utility Skills ).

How big is this sector?

• According to Energy & Utility Skills Assessment 2009, the sector employs 536,000 employees (nearly 2% of the UK workforce) across over 60,000 businesses.
• Approximately 160,000 people work in water and associated fields, collecting, treating and then supplying more than 17 billion litres of water each day (Water UK). The UK waste management industry employs around 141,000 people, dealing with approximately 100 million tonnes of waste generated annually from households, industry and commerce (Energy & Utility Skills ).
• Over 142,000 people work in the gas industry, 87,000 in power generation and distribution and 6,000 in the coal industry (Department Department of Energy and Climate Change ).
• The petroleum industry employs over 150,000 people directly and several thousand contact workers (Cogent: The Sector Skills Council for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Nuclear, Oil and Gas, Petroleum and Polymers ).
• Nearly 45,000 people work in the nuclear industry.
• It is predicted that the renewable energy industry will become one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy over the coming years, with estimates of at least 35,000 new jobs being created.

Where can I work?

• As the energy and utility sector is a global industry, work can be found throughout the UK and abroad.
• UK oil comes mainly from the North Sea and off the coasts of Aberdeen, Suffolk, Norfolk, Liverpool and Morecambe Bay.
• UK specialists in deepwater and subsea technology are in demand all over the world. Oil exploration takes place in many other remote areas of the globe.
• Jobs in the UK’s utility industry tend to be primarily based in the UK, within many regional offices.
• Some roles involve a lot of travel (e.g. nuclear research scientist collaborating with other scientists all over the world).

For information on working overseas, see opportunities abroad.