January 27^th, 2026

Our involvement in WEI’s Graduate & Career Development Programme reflects that commitment. Over four programme cycles, we have supported 12 trainees — including the current cohort of five graduate engineers — giving early‑career professionals the opportunity to learn, collaborate and build connections across the industry.

Programme coordinator Dáire Horgan, Senior Research & Development Specialist at WEI, noted:

“Energia Group has been involved in the Graduate & Career Development Programme from the very beginning. Their continued engagement shows a real commitment to lifelong learning and confidence in our delivery of the programme.

“The value of this programme is in the access it gives graduates, to peers, to industry events, and to people working across the sector. Energia Group’s continued support has helped make that possible from the start.”

Conference success

At this year’s Annual Conference, graduates contributed to the Poster Room and delivered group presentations on the main stage to an audience of industry professionals on key sector topics. We were delighted that Evan Hollowed, Graduate Civil Engineer, and his team won the vote for best research and presentation for their project on Energy Islands and Cross‑Border Collaboration. Reflecting on the experience, Evan said, “The best part of the Programme for me was getting the chance to present at the conference. It was a great learning experience and a really good opportunity to build confidence and share our research with fellow industry members.”

Also participating were graduate engineers Brian Dignam and Ffion Owen, whose research focused on Biodiversity Net Gain. Brian highlighted the value of the programme saying, “My favourite part was gaining exposure to the full range of the energy sector, from policy and grid integration to commercial strategy and construction. I also really enjoyed collaborating and making new friends with graduates from a wide variety of energy companies.”

Ffion also spoke of the benefits of the programme: "Moving over from the UK, it has given me great exposure to the ins and outs of the Irish Energy Sector. An added bonus is meeting others who are also at the start of their energy careers - it's a great opportunity to network and make new friends!"

Bringing learning to life

The Graduate & Career Development Programme gives participants space to learn, ask questions and build relationships that will support them throughout their careers. One of its greatest strengths is the peer network it creates, connecting graduates from different companies and backgrounds at a formative stage in their professional journey.

Anna Caslin, graduate engineer whose project title was The Future of Floating Wind in Ireland says: “What I’m enjoying so far is the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other graduates and professionals new to the sector. Working together in small groups on a poster and presentation for the WEI Annual Conference was a great chance to learn about a topic that's different from day-to-day work.

Also speaking on the programme, Mark Higgins, graduate engineer says “The programme helped me gain insights from a wide range of industry professionals and develop a broader understanding of the wind energy sector beyond my day-to-day role, while also building confidence in presenting and engaging with larger audiences.”

Energia Group’s support extends beyond sending trainees. In 2025, we partnered with WEI on a site visit to Drumlins Wind Farm, giving graduates the chance to see a live operational site and understand how projects are delivered on the ground.

A long‑term commitment

Investing in early‑career development is essential to building a skilled workforce capable of delivering Ireland’s renewable energy ambitions. Our support for the programme aligns with Energia Group’s wider priorities and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Energia Group is proud to play a role in shaping the next generation of wind energy professionals — and we look forward to continuing this work in the years ahead.

NOTE: Energia participants on the WEI Graduate and Career Development Programme 2026

•        Brian Dignam
•         Anna Caslin
•         Mark Higgins
•         Evan Hollowed
•         Fion Owen