For National Careers Week 2026 Energy UK is showcasing some of its own team members and how they have built careers in energy. Kisha Couchman, Deputy Director, Policy at Energy UK, explains her journey into energy and why working on policy is so rewarding.
Tell us about your current role and what excites you about it
I’m a Deputy Director at Energy UK leading the policy work on investment and system operability across a wide range of technologies, including renewables, flexible generation, storage, as well as carbon pricing and UK-EU energy and climate issues. My role sits at the intersection of industry and government, translating complex market and policy issues into coordinated industry positions that enable investment and delivery.
What excites me most is that energy policy has real, tangible consequences: the decisions being made today directly shape affordability, security of supply and progress towards net zero.
How long have you worked in the energy industry and how did you get into the sector?
I’ve worked in the energy sector for around a decade. After completing a Masters in Energy and Natural Resources Law, I worked as Paralegal with a focus on energy and environment. I subsequently moved into an energy policy role with a public affairs focus that allowed me to develop my interest in the workings of Westminster, during a period of growing national focus on climate and infrastructure policy.
What began as an interest quickly became a career, as I realised how the energy transition sits at the heart of economic growth, geopolitics and societal change.
I then joined Energy UK, where I’ve work alongside industry to advocate for the investment frameworks and market design needed to deliver low-carbon infrastructure across the UK.
What attracted you into the energy sector?
My initial motivation was my interest in environmental issues and wanting to pursue a career that allowed me to support efforts to tackle climate change. Whilst that remains a motivation, it is now the scale of impact that has kept me in the sector. I find energy policy fascinating, and I am constantly learning about the interactions between technical challenges, public policy, investment decisions and societal outcomes.
The energy transition is one of the defining challenges of our generation, and it is deeply rewarding to work on issues that have a tangible impact on people’s daily lives.
What began as an interest quickly became a career, as I realised how the energy transition sits at the heart of economic growth, geopolitics and societal change.
What is one thing you don’t think people know about working in energy?
How collaborative it is. Delivering a functioning energy system requires engineers, economists, policymakers, investors and operators to work together constantly. This means that progress depends as much on coordination and compromise as it does on technology.
What comes to mind as the highlight of your career so far?
Helping to shape policy discussions at moments where investment certainty was genuinely at risk has been rewarding. Ensuring effective collaboration between industry and government is essential to developing pragmatic solutions that maintain investor certainty and keep projects moving forward.
I’m also very proud of the opportunities I’ve had to travel and to speak at industry events where I can share perspectives on the sector’s priorities and the pathways ahead.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
To pursue a career in something that you find genuinely interesting. You spend a significant proportion of your life working, so when you’re genuinely interested in what you do, you’re motivated to keep learning and contribute meaningfully – and in a fast-moving sector like energy, your enthusiasm and your intellectual curiosity become your greatest advantages.
Energy UK will continue to shine a light on the varied careers seen across the energy industry and how we are working to attract and build a skilled, diverse and motivated energy workforce. You can find more information and examples of successful apprentices via our Jobs In Energy resource, which demonstrates the benefits of working in the sector.
We also publish case study collections demonstrating how Energy UK members are building the workforce for our future energy system and delivering opportunities for apprenticeships to drive the energy transition. If you have a case study showcasing innovative work within the sector, please get in touch via press@energy-uk.org.uk.
Interested in starting a career in energy?
For the country to reach Net Zero, the energy industry will need all the people it can get – from all kinds of backgrounds, with a diverse range of skills.
A job in energy could mean anything from a nuclear engineering apprenticeship, to working in customer service for a retail energy company, or a role at a tech startup – so you might not know where to start.
The Young Energy Professionals (YEP) Forum has created this guide to help you find the right route into a job in energy.
