Martin Laing
Subjects Studied:
S4 - Standard Grade - Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, French, P.ES5 - Higher Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, HistoryS6 - Mathematics (Adv. Higher) P.E. (Higher)
Career:
After leaving school, I had a chance to pursue a career in football after being handed a one year professional contract with the first team at Inverness Caledonian Thistle who were playing in the Scottish Premiership at the time. This was after rising through the youth academy at the club from the age of 8 to 19. It was a fantastic experience playing with international level players and one that I felt that I had to give 100% as it was my dream to play for my home football team.
Unfortunately, the club did not extend my contract and this meant I had to decide whether to continue pursuing a career in football or to turn my focus to something else. It was a difficult period for me but I knew that I had worked hard during my time at Millburn having achieved good grades. This meant I had options going forward and that having a career in football wasn't the be all and end all.
After taking a year out to work as a Waiter and playing football for Highland League side Clachnacuddin FC, I applied to the University of Aberdeen to study Physics for four years.
During this time, I became aware of the energy transition and the role that renewable energy will play in the future. Consequently, after graduating, I applied to study a masters degree in Sustainable Energy at the University of Glasgow to help improve my employability in the renewable energy industry. It was a fantastic year where I learned about a variety of renewable technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, energy storage and renewable heating systems. Also, while studying at Glasgow, I was fortunate to win a place on Wood Mackenzie’s summer internship program where I worked with the Corporate Analysis Team in Edinburgh on their energy transition research. I learned about how oil and gas companies such as Shell and BP are investing in renewable energy and reducing their carbon emissions.
During a busy time finishing my masters and my internship with Wood Mackenzie, I applied for a Graduate Solar Consultant position at Everoze Partners Limited in Bristol and got the job! It is a small but growing company with offices in the UK, France and Spain who specialise in offshore and onshore wind, solar, and energy flexibility. I felt very nervous moving outside of Scotland, and a long way from my family and friends, however it was an opportunity I couldn't let pass. Essentially the work we do is ensure our clients are investing in and developing renewable energy assets that are built and maintained with high quality and safety. Some of the work I do includes performing energy production assessments, writing reports, and visiting solar farms across the UK for our clients to assess their performance and general condition.
It’s an exciting time to be in the renewable industry and I would encourage students to learn how engineers and scientists are making the world a greener and more sustainable place."