Keeley-Ann

Keeley-Ann's STORY

Commercial Graduate, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

Commercial Graduate
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

Keeley-Ann is a commercial graduate working for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, having joined the company in September 2018. The scheme has allowed her to utilise her skills gained from her MSc in Climate Change in relation to sustainability and energy, as well as developing and learning new skillsets from a finance, economic and business aspect.

What do you do and where do you do it?

I am working as an Energy Optimisation Analyst on my final placement of the Commercial Graduate Programme at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. This role involves analysing energy data and trying to identify innovative ways of optimising energy usage on our wastewater sites. My previous roles included working on the Energy Projects Team helping to identify potential sites for renewable energy, the Energy Generation Team which looked at optimising our energy assets and doing carbon accounting for the company and running social media and communication for Welsh Water Organic Energy, a company which recycles food waste through anaerobic digestion.

Why did you apply for the Welsh Water graduate programme?

What drew me to Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water was its not-for-profit status and its 2050 vision, ensuring that the company puts the environment and its customer at the forefront of everything it does. While the commercial scheme specifically offered me the opportunity to combine my passion for hydrology, energy and the environment.

What have you enjoyed most about the Welsh Water graduate programme?

Having studied a BSc in Geography and a MSc in Climate Change at university, the most enjoyable thing about the Welsh Water graduate programme is seeing how the entire water cycle operates. How water is moved from the river to your tap or used to flush your toilet and beyond, and even how the end product is utilised to generate energy and then used on our sites! Specific to my placement I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the energy sector, and not just what you learn about in university.

What would you say to anyone thinking about applying for the Welsh Water graduate programme?

Don’t feel like you shouldn’t apply or that you don’t have the relevant skills or knowledge to work at Welsh Water. There are so many sectors and roles within the company making it suitable for everyone. The scheme itself is what you make of it, it can present you with so many opportunities like communicating with senior colleagues allowing you to gain further insight into the industry, being part of The Prince’s Trust Million Makers fundraiser, organising institutional events and attending conferences and career events.

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