I am sharing a summary from an HR/Careers conference in Applied Software Engineering. People are complaining of forgetting the code they learnt at uni, or on online courses. They learnt it, and now it's' gone. So the fastest way to learn coding today is not to sit through dozens of online courses on Udemy, Coursera, or edX and hope the knowledge sticks. If you have tried that route, ask yourself honestly: how much of it do you remember three months later? Most of it is gone. That approach feels productive in the moment only. Instead, the smartest path is to start with Python and study code that already exists inside industry case studies. You see exactly how it is applied in real-world cases. Then Open GitHub, and upload a full project. First, actually work with the code e.g. maybe you need to combine the code of 5-10 courses together . Change the data slightly,. Then upload your version to GitHub with a clean, nicely written README file and well-presented code (comments etc). Do not panic about volume. You only need to upload 1 machine learning project and 1 optimisation project over the course of 8 -12 months. Takes time if you are absolute beginner. That is enough to make you extremely attractive to employers : internships and junior jobs. This is better than MSc degrees because they are filled with exams and homework , whose solutions circulate around and you copy-paste and employers know it. Every time you upload a project, write a LinkedIn post about it if you aren't shy . So, take ten or twenty courses from the Classroom, as many as you need, and combine what you learn from them into a single coherent project or more. If you are ambitious, try to publish your work as a paper. Even better. Shows prestige. Nobody does these simple things and everyone goes to do MSc , which is fine ofcourse if you have the money. That is the whole strategy. HR managers almost never see this level of discipline from candidates. Most CVs simply list "I completed 5 courses on Udemy" or "I finished 10 courses on edX," but they never remember what they did there. They have the certificate but in the interview they say they forgot.

🗺️ Where it started To better understand energy networks and their geographic topology, I dove into open source data — specifically OpenStreetMap and GridKit — to map transmission nodes and lines across Europe and the UK. There are already plenty of courses on grids and storage. So instead of passively consuming content... I decided to build something. 🎯 Project Goals Technical side: - Sharpen my Python + mapping skills (Folium / GeoPandas) - Experiment with Vibe Coding (rapid iteration, AI-assisted prototyping) Knowledge side: - Understand the role of energy storage and load balancing in modern grids - Identify the critical materials and minerals behind storage technologies (lithium, cobalt, vanadium, manganese...) - Map out the key players in the sector — utilities, pure-play storage companies, and emerging startups 💡 Open questions — your ideas welcome! Some threads I'm already pulling on: - Where are the bottlenecks in European transmission networks? - How is the storage mix evolving — short-term (batteries) vs. long-term (hydrogen, pumped hydro)? - What business models are emerging around grid flexibility? What would you add to this project? 👇 Series in progress — more in the next post 🔄

I pulled together some notes from recent discussions on employment conditions across countries, especially for energy/utility roles. Sharing here in case it helps anyone comparing markets. I have attached the Excel file. The file is broader employment/job-market comparison by country, and only one part of it is energy-related via the “Utility Sector Security” column.Useful if you’re comparing job stability vs compensation in the broader energy sector. Big picture: - USA = highest salaries, but weaker general job security and social safety net - UK / Australia = strong employment protections and very stable utility-sector roles - France = strongest labor protections and very hard to dismiss employees - Switzerland = very high salaries with a strong financial safety net

I see many students who want to stay home and so they ask for remote work all the time. Also I see many who go to work and do not dress well. Here is the truth for the job: Truth1: Go 3-4 times every week to the office so others see you. Your presence is very important. Smile and be professional. This plays a role for your promotion. If you stay home most of the time, you will not be promoted and people will forget you. Truth2: Do not use AI a lot at workplace because every computer has trackers and gives your managers a distribution of time (with plots) of how much you used AI and for how long. There is a software (hidden) that summarises your activity on the computer at work. So be careful : if they see that you cannot write code, and all you do is copy-paste from Chat GPT the code, they will fire you sooner or later. Silently one day they will fire you and they will not tell you why most likely. Be careful. Also you can use it on your phone, but it is time consuming.. Ofcourse they have AI tools but you must write code yourself. Truth3: If you go to non-code positions, it is more stressful and more competitive than code positions. Often, you get lower salary also. Because people in energy are scared of coding, and do not like it. So you get an advantage if you can code , understand code etc. Not super . Just basic things. Eg understand Python . Understand ML. etc Truth4: Do not share personal stories with co-workers. They are competing with you for promotion so they want you to fail ... Be careful. Do not share sensitive things. Truth5: Becareful of your social media presence. Managers spy on you e.g. they have fake profiles and are your friends. They will find your second, third etc profiles. They can find your anonymous X profile where you troll people . They have the ability to find you because they have software tools that you do not know . Truth6: yes the online courses here are all you need. But please fix your CV. Align it with energy companies. Do not just design your CV yourself. Get feedback here. Most CVs look rubbish. Try work on your CV carefully.

Just a little reminder ! I was in an energy conference in Australia travelling, and it was about energy jobs. Here are some points from top recruiters (eg director of HR in Chevron, director of HR in Total etc): --> energy is a global marketplace. Companies in Australia/Europe/Asia/Africa/America hiring people from all over the world And they sponsor VISAs. And no lay offs! No AI threat. Energy is considered TOO critical and humans are needed. Also be careful with CVs!!! dont just send randomly ! Many people apply to 20, 50, even 100 jobs…And still get no response. Why? Because job application today is not about volume it’s about alignment. Are you: • Applying to roles that truly match your experience? • Reading the job description carefully? • Positioning yourself based on what the employer is actually asking for? • Following application instructions properly? One small mistake in your application can cost you an interview. So you must: • Apply strategically instead of randomly • Align your experience with job requirements • Structure strong application responses • Navigate remote, hybrid, and on-site roles confidently Job searching is competitive, but with the right approach, you can stand out. I strongly recommend you use the service of CV feedback here. Everytime you apply for a job! Don't just send a CV. Same for interview! And last: BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN GET THE JOB. Stop thinking negatively. Tell yourself "I DESERVE THIS JOB."