Kathleen, Rory, Maria and Jon are all students in NAIT’s Alternative Energy Technology program and members of their local Student Energy chapter. They are currently designing a roadmap to making the NAIT campus more sustainable.

What got you excited about energy efficiency?

Maria: It wasn’t until high school that I started looking at it [energy efficiency] as an actual career path. I saw a presentation from environmental engineers and that’s how I got exposed to the research and technology part of climate change. From taking courses in the Alternative Energy Technology program I’ve learned and realized that energy efficiency is the most attainable way to reduce our emissions. And it’s one of, I think, the easiest to implement.

Kathleen: They [the Alternative Energy Technology program] really drive it home that energy efficiency, or energy conservation, is probably the best solution to achieve a lot of our goals of being more sustainable.

Jon: I remember watching Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and just being blown away by it. It was always there in the back of my mind throughout high school. I became an electrician and worked a lot in mines and resource extraction, oil refineries, pulp mills- things like that- and I saw the vast amount of energy that we used. It was when I was travelling in New Zealand that I had the chance to build a wind turbine for a friend that I met that I decided that this is what I really wanted to do.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE THIS PROJECT TOGETHER THROUGH THE LEADERS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM?

Maria: I asked the chair of our program for some ideas on what could be done for the project and he said that some administration staff had been reaching out to him asking if there was any space where teachers and students could collaborate and talk about the sustainability of NAIT. That’s kind of how I got the idea. I brought it up to the rest of the team and they wanted to do it!

Jon: I heard about the Fellowship through Maria and decided it would be a very cool thing to do to push my skills and knowledge.

Rory: Kathleen and Maria approached me, and they already had this idea kind of bubbling in their heads. I was looking for excuses at that point to…do some real world stuff that would push the boundaries in communication and interacting with other bodies as opposed to just learning technicalities and how [energy] systems work.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU THINK YOUR PROJECT WILL HAVE ON THE WAY PEOPLE ON THE NAIT CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY THINK AND ACT ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION?

Kathleen: Our project is mostly aimed towards the higher-ups within NAIT, to make change from the top-down. We’ve also been talking about how we can bring in the input of students…to show [NAIT] that there is genuine interest and necessity to do these things.

Jon: I think it will depend a lot on the willingness of the decision-makers at NAIT, and how they go forward as an institution as far as energy consumption and energy efficiency is concerned. There are some very visible and highly supportive things that we can do, that NAIT’s student association can do, like making better waste disposal categories and having water-saving taps in every bathroom. In terms of major improvements, I think it would have to come from the top at an institutional level.

SO, YOU’RE KIND OF HOLDING THE PLACE OF A LOBBYIST ON YOUR CAMPUS TO MAKE A CHANGE THROUGH THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL.

Kathleen: Not an easy task.

Rory: I’ve been pretty cynical at times of how the student body at NAIT perceives the [sustainability] issues we take to heart. There are people directly across the Alternative Energy Technology building at NAIT running massive boilers or training to be diesel engine technicians. There’s not a lot of impetus for change because the image NAIT has to keep up doesn’t depend on the values that we take to heart. That is, I think, the challenge in this. And that’s why we need to approach it from a top-down perspective.

Kathleen: Though I agree with Rory, I also disagree. I’ve talked to a lot of people at NAIT that just don’t know how to change it [NAIT] because they all have this idea- this image- of NAIT as being trades-oriented, which is typically more conservative in nature.

WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM VISIONS FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AT NAIT?

Jon: Our objective is to come up with a long-term vision, and some goals, for NAIT. There is the 2030 Goals Plan and they [NAIT] is also in the process of making a Vision 2050 Corporate Plan. So we could make suggestions to both of those timeframes. This could be something that could be picked up by our Student Energy chapter at NAIT, or the students association, or by faculty. Hopefully, it will be something that will continue on.

IN A BROADER SENSE, WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN ACCELERATING THE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSITION IN AN EQUITABLE WAY?

Kathleen: They [young people] are so much more aware that they can make a big difference going into the job market because they are learning everything about it and making more connections from what all the possibilities are out there. There’s a lot out there that young people are seeking out, not just it [information] being offered and not taken advantage of. I think there’s tons of interest and lots of leaders being formed out of necessity.

Rory: I might have a perspective that’s pretty different. I’ve been thinking a lot about late stage capitalism…what’s always been on my mind is affordability. What will my lifestyle be, how can I afford a house or a car, how will I end up living? Myself and a lot of my peers will choose differently [from the past] in how we live our lives, in the space that we take up, and in whether we choose to bring or not to bring children into the world. I can see a lot of tiny houses, location efficient urban living, and use of public transit. That’s how I see, going forward, the younger generation making efforts to have a much more minimal impact than previous generations.

HOW HAS THE LEADERS FELLOWSHIP SUPPORTED YOUR GOAL OF ACHIEVING NET-ZERO EMISSIONS AT YOUR CAMPUS?

Kathleen: We get a lot of good information!

Jon:  We just had our first meeting with our mentor and the energy that he brought to us was really invigorating. The channels are always open between Marcus, the Leaders Fellowship Coordinator, and the rest of the team that is running the program. We haven’t drawn on many resources yet but we feel like they’re there when we need them.

The Student Energy Leaders Fellowship was developed in part with the support of Energy Efficiency Alberta. As part of the ‘Building Energy Efficiency Champions’ project, Student Energy developed energy efficiency resources for the Fellowship online curriculum and provided mentorship for student teams in Alberta and across Canada.

ABOUT THE OGCI CHALLENGE TEAM:

The team of six individuals from across the globe will collaborate with the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), a voluntary, CEO-led oil and gas industry initiative that aims to accelerate the industry’s response to climate change. After learning about the organization’s work, including directly from OGCI staff, the Challenge team will be tasked with creating a report with recommendations to challenge and support OGCI’s existing and future climate action.

This is a unique opportunity to learn from critical players in the energy industry and have a meaningful voice as young climate leaders. The team will have access to direct interviews with OGCI staff and staff from the member companies that participate in OGCI workstreams. The team will also be coached by Student Energy on research and presentation skills. You will also have an incredible opportunity to understand from the inside how the oil and gas majors are  working on the energy transition towards net zero emissions, having the opportunity to collaborate with experts in the field along the way. This is a unique opportunity, offered by OGCI, to make recommendations that will help shape the low carbon future of some of the world’s largest energy companies and the future of your generation.

At the end of the challenge, the team will collectively write a report and recommendations for OGCI and its member companies. The team will also present its findings to the CEOs of each of the member companies and gain high-level exposure for their ideas. 

Young people between the ages of 18-30 from all countries, and all educational and professional backgrounds are invited to apply. 

Applications are open until June 10, 23:59 UTC, 2020.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) How long is the term of the challenge team? 

The challenge team will work together from mid-June 2020, to the end of September 2020. In this time they will conduct research into OGCI and work together to write the report recommendations for the final report to be delivered in mid-September. After report writing is complete the team will prepare their presentation for the CEOs the presentation will take place between October – December 2020 – timing will be confirmed at a later date. 

2) What is the time commitment of the challenge team?

The time commitment is a minimum of 25 hours spread evenly from June-September 2020 with an additional 5 hours of presentation preparation. If there is interest, challenge team members may spend more time on the research and report writing. 

3) What recognition will you receive?

All team members will be listed as authors of the report that will be posted publicly on Student Energy’s website. You will also have the opportunity to be featured on our blog and social media. Opportunities for building your professional network, building your skill set and publishing more of your work may become available during the challenge. 

4) What support will the team have?

The challenge team will be directly coached by Student Energy’s staff. They will learn about how to effectively work with and advocate for change with a high-level audience, how to conduct research, presentation skills, in-depth energy knowledge, in-depth knowledge of Paris Agreement targets and more.

Since April, new graduates around the world have been facing unexpected barriers at the start of  their careers as the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in cancelled work placements, summer schools, leadership opportunities, and internships. In support of young people worldwide, Student Energy encouraged employers and institutions (who were able to) to provide more opportunities for young people during this time. 

We are excited to announce that our call to support the next generation of leaders was answered by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative. The OGCI Youth Intern Training Programme is offering online, paid work internship positions with the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative from June to September 2020. Supported by Student Energy, these positions will allow youth to become an integral part of the Strategy and Policy team, and support OGCI’s climate agenda on one of the following four themes: low emissions opportunities, transportation, the role of gas, and carbon capture utilization and storage. Young people in Student Energy’s network and alumni from Student Energy’s programs are particularly encouraged to apply.The successful candidates will gain experience critical to a career in climate change and sustainable energy.

ABOUT OGCI:

The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative is a CEO-led consortium that aims to accelerate the industry response to climate change. OGCI member companies explicitly support the Paris Agreement and its goals. As leaders in the industry, accounting for over 30% of global operated oil and gas production, OGCI aims to leverage their collective strength and expand the pace and scope of their transitions to a low-carbon future, helping to achieve net zero emissions as early as possible. Their members collectively invest around $7B each year in low carbon solutions. OGCI Climate Investments, their $1B+ fund, invests in solutions to decarbonize sectors like oil and gas, industry and commercial transport.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications are now open and will close on May 20th, 11:59 UTC. The position is open to young people from around the world undertaking a Bachelor or Master programme, who are currently enrolled in University or just recently graduated from university (6 months after the end of last modules). Apply here.

If you have any questions, please contact ogciinterns@studentenergy.org