On November 18, I attended the Industry Bites event focused on energy, sustainability, and manufacturing hosted by Mohr Career Services in collaboration with the Operations and Business Analytics club. We were joined by three professionals working across the energy, sustainability, and manufacturing industries who shared an inside look at how these fields are evolving and what students should pay attention to as they explore their own career paths.
The panelists included:
- Chris Dunning – Chief Financial Officer, Energy Trust of Oregon
- Antonio Edgar – Advanced Technology Integration and Commissioning Manager, Prototype Vehicles, Daimler Truck North America
- Sanjeev King – Director, Electrical Engineering and Operations, Springfield Utility Board
Key Takeaways
The conversation opened with a moderated discussion where panelists shared their career journeys and reflected on the broad impact of sustainability across roles. Hearing from different roles, whether it was an engineering role or a financial role, helped me understand how impactful sustainability is across fields and even positions.
The panelists also discussed current events—from the rise of AI to new sustainable energy developments and tariff policies—explaining how these trends influence their day-to-day responsibilities. earing a range of perspectives was interesting, especially since each panelist’s response reflected the unique challenges of their industry.
During the question and answer session, we had the opportunity to ask about everything from emerging technologies to future job opportunities, leading to some of the most insightful moments of the session.
How to Stand Out in the Job Market
The panelists all spoke about the early steps in their own careers and what helped them stand out after graduation when they were applying for jobs. Their shared advice included:
- Taking advantage of career centers like Mohr Career Services
- Building relationships through alumni networking and coffee chats
- Gaining leadership experience through jobs, clubs, and getting involved.
No matter what industry you’re interested in, they emphasized that initiative, curiosity, and consistent effort are what help students get noticed.
Final Thoughts
Across the evening, one theme was clear: the future of energy, sustainability, and technology will rely on people who have both hard and soft skills. Topics like AI, sustainability, and economic policy shape the work happening across these industries, and understanding how they intersect can help students make more informed career decisions.
For anyone considering fields related to energy, analytics, engineering, sustainability, or business operations, learning how these systems work together is an advantage, and events like this offer a valuable window into real-world challenges and opportunities.
Attending this Industry Bites session broadened my understanding of how sustainability shows up in everyday decisions across industries and gave me a more informed, forward-thinking perspective on my own career path.
Written by: Shamica
