It is always intimidating starting a new job, especially with an industry you are not familiar with. The first week usually blurs as you try to learn and adjust to a new role and environment. This internship was no exception. Being a part of a female-run company intrigued me and made me excited. The question of whether or not I was going to fit in is one I asked a lot. So far, I have adjusted well.
As I have just begun, my first step in becoming familiar with (B)energy was to participate in their distributor’s three-day online training about biogas. Since I am unfamiliar with the gas industry, I had a few difficulties. Having to deal with terminology and calculations made it challenging. It reminded me of high school when I had to work with equations. I realized that this was truly a different environment.
However, it was an immensely informative and enjoyable training experience. Everyone made me feel welcome, and this gave me a lot of confidence since I had expected the senior management to be distant and aloof. During the distributor’s training, I gained a deeper understanding of what the company does and the services it offers, which will be helpful in dealing with customers in the future. Currently, I am familiar with the importance of clean energy, as well as its benefits to the environment and human health. I gained valuable insight into how (B)energy conduct business and interacts with its customers. I am eager to dive in and learn more.
The African Energy Chamber helped me obtain this unparalleled opportunity through its Energy Pioneer Program. I will be able to develop necessary work skills that will help me to excel in my future professional endeavors.
Furthermore, a female leader at an energy company is a source of pride to me since the energy industry is typically male-dominated. As a young woman working for a female-led company, I feel inspired to pursue a leadership position in male-dominated fields. It demonstrates the power of women's empowerment on a much greater scale.
This experience showed me that working for a multinational organization is far more intriguing than I imagined. Dealing with a sheer number of customers from different countries will be an engaging and rewarding experience. In general, I believe my first week at (B)energy was a positive experience. As a result, I understood the value of teamwork. Success or failure hinges on how employees work together.
Kimberley Netshivhale, South Africa