Martha was welcomed by the Reheat team in 2022, as part of our graduate programme.

Here, Martha gives us an insight into moving from university to the world and work, and why as a geographer she was keen to work in Renewable Energy Consultancy.

"Working for Reheat allows me to make a difference to the environment close to home."

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I recently joined Reheat as a Graduate Renewable Energy Consultant having completed a Geography and Planning degree at Newcastle University.

I am a typical geography student, so I’m fascinated by the world around me! I’m interested in renewable energy and the environment, and I’ve always loved maps and constantly ask questions about how things work and noticing small details. Sustainability and the environment have underwritten my studies in geography and planning. My dissertation was on Water Scarcity for Palestinians in the West Bank, Palestine - a critical geopolitical issue and a resource conflict which is largely man made and linked to Israeli occupation.

As well as studying locally, I also live in rural Northumberland, and I was keen to work close to home and family and be able to continue to play music with the same friends as well.

What is exciting about moving into the world of work is being involved in and making a difference to real life people and scenarios and moving away from the more theoretical nature of university studies. I enjoy being given the opportunity to learn and work simultaneously, in some ways being thrown in the deep end, but allows me to focus my learning across Reheat's many areas of expertise. I’ve had the chance to attend conferences and webinars allowing me to hear from and meet people in the industry and I’m looking forward to continuing to do this.

Biomass boilers, forestry management, decarbonising heat and heat networks – the wide variety of things you encounter as a Renewable Energy Consultant at Reheat - were almost all new to me. In a similar way to subjects/issues I covered at university including in my dissertation, yet in a different context, they are crucially important in the current climate and very in-keeping with my interests. Working for Reheat allows me to make a difference to the environment close to home.

I’m looking forward to figuring out what particularly interests me within the wide scope of Reheat projects and continuing to ask questions and learn from people within the company and further afield. For example, energy and fuel poverty in the UK are very topical and relevant at the moment and critical issues that will not go away easily. Low carbon heat in particular feels an important industry of which to be part.

Do you want to join Martha as a graduate at Reheat? Visit our careers page and let us know you're interested!