What inspired you to join the industry?
I decided to go into energy because I wanted to use the skills I’ve gained to make an impact, and our industry definitely does that. The work we do here (OG&E) affects a lot of people on a daily basis, and I appreciate that the things I work on will ultimately benefit the lives of others.
What’s your most memorable experience on the job?
One of the things I’ve recently had the chance to do is present about OG&E and my role to students in OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology (CEAT) Student Council and CEAT Freshman Council. During my college career, I dedicated a lot of time to the CEAT Student Council, so getting to talk to the younger students there now that I’ve started a full-time role felt like a full-circle moment that I’m glad I got to be a part of. There are so many career paths out there, but if I can show even one person that this is an option they might have interest in, even if they didn’t know it before, then I think that’s something to be proud of.
What makes you proud of the work you do?
I’d say that the most rewarding part of working in energy and at OG&E has been getting to work with everyone and knowing that the work we do is making an impact on people’s day-to-day lives. There’s so much that goes into providing power to our customers, and knowing that I get to be a small part of that is exciting.
What advice would you give someone considering an energy career?
I think the biggest piece of advice is don’t be scared to reach out and ask questions. Once you get out of your comfort zone and make connections, it gets a lot easier to figure out where you fit into everything. I’d also recommend forming some sort of mentorship relationship, especially if you can find someone who does the sort of things you want to do at some point. Even if you don’t know what you want from your career, just talking to someone can help you learn about what you might like or what you don’t like.