What matters ultimately is openness to learn while developing your professional interests as well as cultural curiosity!
MIP Program by AADF is the most visionary development program in Albania aiming to develop future leaders from different fields and expertise. The program is an unmatched opportunity for visionary young professionals that want to make a big step forward in their careers and life. Its unique design made it possible for me to work in a leading global energy company, in the most diverse place while sponsoring not only living expenses but also the unmatched experience of completing a 1 week of Executive Education course at Harvard University. I feel lucky to be given the chance by the MIP Program from AADF to work and live in the US for 6 months.
My journey went like this: EDP Renewables is one the largest renewable energy companies in the world operating in more than 30 countries and the 4th largest renewable investor in the US. New York City is one of the most vibrant cities in the world and the “cultural melting pot” where people from around the world come to work, network, innovate and change the world.
While making a decision to come to the US, thanks to AADF, I was lucky enough to have options I could choose for my fellowship. Some were located in great cities but did not match my expertise. Some were in remote places but matched well my expectations considering Covid-19 they were a big risk but possibly I would have learned mostly from work. However, I had to find something that was in the middle of both and try to fit myself in the culture and at work. So I chose EDP Renewables Distributed Generation based in New York City.
One thing I won’t forget is the enrichment trip organized by AADF and CIEE in Washington DC. That was an opportunity to learn about US history and how unity and freedom can make great nations, states, countries, and people. As we learned how unity has been the driving force of America we got to unite also with other MIP Fellows coming from across different US states. We had the chance to create bonds and share our experiences that mostly were more diverse than anyone had expected. The enrichment trip was truly enriching for us in every way.
Now 6 months down the road I find to have learned as much from work as from the city mainly because of historical reasons. Electrification started in Pearl Street Station NYC by the great inventor Tomas Edison when on the 4th of September 1882 the first power station was providing light for lower Manhattan. Working at EDP Renewables was as interesting as exploring NYC. During my time there I had the chance to work on Solar and Wind power projects and cooperate with people from different backgrounds and fields of expertise. That exposed me to many departments of the company as I was involved in the implementation of ”Quickbase”, a management platform overseeing over 300 solar projects across more than 35 US States. I guess I was lucky but most of the luck started to come while I was constantly asking to get involved and helping out with whatever was needed. This allowed me to communicate more with different teams instead of staying comfortable with what I was assigned. It was not easy at first but with time and patience, I could see myself learning more not only about solar energy but most importantly about people and culture. So in this sense, I would say work is not all about work.
The days got interesting but I found myself isolated in the sense that I did not know many people in the city so the other half of the day and weekends were an opportunity. I would find myself with some free time otherwise not found in our everyday life in Albania with friends and family around. I decided to stay active and it can’t get more active than New York City.
During my time in New York, I attended more than 80 events related to climate tech and energy. The renewable energy community in the city is one of the most vibrant ones and this combined with the talent attracted by it as the financial capital of the world makes a good combination if I wanted to advance my knowledge in Energy, the biggest industry in the world. During the evenings I would register for events organized by different groups which mostly were free. That exposed me to different views and perspectives on Climate change and energy from many experts or people motivated to solve one of humanity’s greatest challenges. The complexity of energy transition could be seen much better from the lens of people coming from backgrounds in finance, technology, engineering, law, politics, and many more. This was all made easier for me as I was learning more about renewables and energy from the work at EDPR.
Going to these events made me part of the energy community as I extended my network and now I am part of think tanks, newsletters, startup accelerators, universities, and financial institutions that are shifting their attention to clean energy and climate change. Some of them are; Young Professionals in Energy, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, SOSV Ventures, Columbia University, NYU, Cornell University, Decarb Connect, Open Air Initiative, TechStars Accelerator, Goldman Sachs, On Deck – Build for Climate, and many more professional meetup organizers.
I just found myself with a lot of connections and then friends in a place where I knew no one 6 months ago. Now thinking about it I don’t know if it was the culture of the city and work or my initiative to stay active that made it all happen but for sure I know that both are needed to make it a transformational experience.
To make it truly unforgettable, I decided to take the chance given by the MIP Program and complete the Executive Education course “Climate Change and Energy Policy” at Harvard University. I got to learn from some of the top scientists in the world as well as most of the Obama Administration advisors on Energy Policy as some of them are lectures at Harvard Kennedy School. All this coincided with the energy crises in Europe and Albania and the debating was very practical and on point. I got the chance to interact with experts from 40 countries that were participants like me in this course and being among the youngest in the group I was happy to be exposed to the highest level of expertise.
The 6 intensive months passed by and the course was the highlight of it all but this was not all as the great design of the MIP Program allows for 1 extra free month to travel around the US and reflect on all the experiences while enjoying some time off. This is where I got to visit cities in California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania and see how different every state and community is in the US. What I learned from this trip was that what matters above all is that despite the differences in race, belief, and culture, humility and the courage to see past those differences are the highest value that keeps humans united.
©️ Mergim Byberi, MIP Internship Fellow at EDP Renewables Distributed Generation based in New York City
