Renewable-energy solutions are crucial for a sustainable future. But realising its true success depends on an often-lacking element: the skilled workforce required deliver it.
Under the guidance of experienced consultants and experts from the energy sector, five students from The Australian National University (ANU) focused on this critical gap in a business solution they developed in the Special Industry Project (SIP) course.
Working as consultants for ActewAGL – Canberra’s gas and electricity retailer and SIP’s Semester 1 client – ANU College of Business and Economics students Allegra Pirie, Angus Gill, Ewan Benari, Finlay Clarke and Preet Kwatra concentrated on addressing the undersupply of skilled workers.
“While renewable energy solutions are widely researched and commonly proposed, the workforce needed to implement these solutions is often overlooked,” says Allegra.
“We concentrated our efforts on developing a strategy to upskill and mobilise workers, something we believed would be crucial to the long-term success of the project.”
With little knowledge on the subject, the team tackled their client’s vision to transition to greener energy.
“The more we learned, the more we became aware of how much we didn’t know. The energy transition is a highly complex issue, and none of us had a strong background in the field initially. We had to figure out how to think, not just what to think,” says Finlay.
As Preet explains, the safety net of a theoretical project contained to the classroom is also noticeably absent.
“The challenge here wasn’t just to propose a theoretically sound workforce initiative. It was to make it implementable within budget, policy constraints, and strategic timelines. It’s one thing to suggest a campaign in theory. It’s another to tailor that strategy to a client’s actual brand identity, data governance rules, or public-facing obligations,” she says.
“Real clients challenge students to think ethically, adaptively, and systemically. That is where deep learning happens.”
Complex project aside, the students also had to learn and adapt to working with each other.
“One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how our team worked, how each member responded to pressure, managed their time, and communicated. Everyone had different work styles and expectations, and it took time to build mutual understanding,” says Ewan.
Ultimately, a shared vision to produce their best work provided a solid foundation for good teamwork.
“Our focus shifted to practical collaboration: finding time to work together, identifying each other's strengths and weaknesses, and delegating tasks accordingly,” Finlay says.
Not to say that things were always smooth – the students had to balance mid-semester exams, clashing deadlines and personal commitments alongside it.
“Over time, we built a culture where everyone felt completely comfortable speaking up, taking responsibility, and contributing actively,” says Ewan.
Reflecting on his team’s achievement, Angus sees the value in balancing team dynamics.
“Working alongside a multidisciplinary team with diverse leadership styles gave me a deeper appreciation for the different ways people contribute to a shared goal,” he says.
“SIP was an incredibly rewarding experience that fundamentally changed how I think, present and collaborate, and helped me discover how much I thrive in a consulting setting.”
Allegra voiced the team’s gratitude for the support they received throughout the semester.
“A huge thank you to George and Sarah, our mentors from Scyne Advisory, for their invaluable guidance throughout the course,” she says.
SIP course convenor, Dr Katerina Kormusheva also acknowledges ActewAGL, who she says, “dedicated a number of hours selflessly to help the students and listen to them.”
Allegra Pirie
Allegra is studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Economics with a minor in Finance, and a Bachelor of Software Engineering. She works as a Business and Digital Transformation Support Officer at a training and consulting firm, where she contributes to systems improvement, data sanitisation/migration, client engagement, and operational efficiency. Previously, Allegra worked as an Information Technology intern at a cybersecurity company, gaining hands-on experience in database management, website administration, and client support. She is particularly interested in future careers in the consulting and banking sectors, with a focus on risk management, business transformation, and equity sales and trading.
Angus Gill
Angus is in his final year of a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing. Alongside his studies, he works across several roles that reflect his interests in strategic communication and content creation. Most recently, Angus worked in the Social Media Operations team at the Australian Electoral Commission during the 2025 Federal Election, where he supported internal reporting and communications. Long term, Angus is interested in a career in brand strategy or creative advertising, where he can combine analytical thinking with content design to help organisations better communicate their purpose.
Ewan Benari
Ewan is completing his final year of a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance. He has worked as an intern with Barrenjoey Capital Partners, which provided him with exposure to equities and fixed income sales and trading. This experience strengthened Ewan’s knowledge in financial markets and client engagement skills. He is currently seeking graduate opportunities for 2026 in finance and accounting. Looking ahead, Ewan intends to commence the Chartered Accountants program after graduation to deepen his technical knowledge and professional credentials. His long-term goal is to build a career in banking or accounting that combines a client-focused role with a high-performing and analytically rigorous environment.
Finlay Clarke
Finlay is a final-year Bachelor of Finance student with experience in financial management as Treasurer of the ANU Psychology Society. He has a strong interest in investment analysis and consulting, supported by practical skills in financial modelling using Excel, Python, and R. Finlay also has a growing interest in blockchain technologies and investing. He aspires to a career that blends analytical problem solving with collaborative teamwork, with long-term ambitions to establish his own business within the financial sector.
Preet Kwatra
Preet completed a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Marketing. She works as an Administrative Assistant at Micro Image, a nationally-trusted provider of document digitisation, intelligent data capture, and business process automation solutions for government, corporate, healthcare, education, and heritage institutions. In this role, she supports administrative coordination, manages inbound mail workflows, and upholds secure, high-quality scanning and indexing processes across digital mailroom and document submission systems. She has worked with TIMG, managing legal documents and client interfacing. She aspires to build a career in digital marketing, leveraging insights in data-driven strategy, user engagement, and content optimisation to promote values-led organisations in both public and private sectors.