Tell us a bit about yourself personally and professionally?

I’m Tegan, I’m the Quality Manager at Squadron Energy. A few things about me, I would say that I don’t do things by halves. I studied engineering at the same time as completing an apprenticeship, I have an ever increasing collection of LEGO and I’ve just inadvertently started a collection of Minis after making the transition to an EV to sit alongside my classic mini. I’ve got a Dalmatian who thinks he’s a lap dog, and a matching cat to round out the monochrome aesthetic.

What was your pathway into the renewable energy industry?

I have been a part of the electrical industry since 2012 and in 2017 I moved into the renewables sector to transform my career in an industry that I loved to allow growth of the passion that I developed for sustainability and renewable energy technologies whist studying. I was fortunate enough to get the first graduate position I applied for – many pointed out that this was an accomplishment at the time as everyone was trying to get into renewables but there weren’t as many roles available at that time due to the uncertainty generated from 2015/16.

What leadership impact do you hope to make with the scholarship?

Throughout my career, I have found the lack of female role models in senior positions to be one of the greatest challenges. Having been a recipient of the Chloe Munro Scholarship I hope to further develop myself into a leadership position to be a role model for other women beginning their careers in the renewable industry and to add to the growing reality that women form a strong and integral part of the industry in diverse roles. We’re fortunate that there are a number of great role models within the industry at the moment, but I want to share my journey as an example to show how you can make your way from being on the tools to being in leadership positions.

In a male-dominated industry, what advice or encouragement would you give women who want to work in the clean energy sector?

One piece of advice that I’ve received that I always pass on to other women in any industry – back yourself, you know your skills and potential contributions that you can make. Don’t sit and wait for an opportunity, go out and grab it!

Why is it important to support female leaders in the clean energy industry and what improvements could be made to increase the number of women in renewables?

It is important to support female leaders to showcase that this is a viable career option, that a lot of work has been done in recent years to support flexible working arrangements and that we’re supportive and celebrate the achievements of women. The number of women in renewables has dramatically increased since 2017 – at least if the Women in Renewables Lunches are anything to go by, their increase in attendance feels like it’s doubled year on year! To maintain this growth and ensure that we have women across all aspects of the sector, including in leadership, technical roles and on boards, we need to promote out industry to young women, to encourage them into study pathways that lead to roles within the renewables industry and ensure there are supports in place once they are a part of the industry and can see clear pathways for growth through their careers.