Hi, I'm Dr David Kelly and I'm an Associate Director at Amec Foster Wheeler. I started my renewables career working for ScottishPower, working on hydro schemes and wind projects. My first major project was as engineer on site for one year during the construction of ScottishPower's first new build wind project in Barnesmore Wind Farm, Donegal. I have worked on various energy projects; nuclear, CCGT, coal fire, giving me a good basis to work on and help understand the energy mix in the UK.

My typical day is a very varied. I can be visiting a new site at the pre-planning stage on one day and then onto a construction site the next. One of the best things about being involved in the whole lifecycle is that I can bring positive inputs at each stage, for example my construction experience helps ensure EIA infrastructure proposals are buildable and my environmental experience helps ensure construction environmental mitigation is followed.

There are many ways to get into renewables, a degree or post graduate qualification is not always necessary. There are other ways to get involved, whether through work experience, placements or apprenticeships, the main thing is to get experience. I would like to see more people working in the wind industry, not just in the consultancy side. There are lots of opportunities in the supply chain that need to be filled, like skilled labour, design, installation etc.