World Youth Skills Day is a reminder that investing in young people is an investment in the future.
Developing future leaders and ensuring the industry has a strong talent pipeline is important to EnerMech. That’s why we offer a range of opportunities for early-career professionals, including apprenticeships, graduate apprenticeships, graduate programs and internships, all of which build the skills and confidence needed to thrive in an energy role.
This summer, four interns joined teams across our Houston office, each bringing fresh perspectives while building the knowledge and confidence that will shape their future careers. For some, an internship is the first step towards a long-term career at EnerMech, such as Joe Yi Ng, who joined EnerMech in 2025 as an undergraduate intern in Western Australia and has now progressed onto our graduate program.
To mark World Youth Skills Day, we spoke to Joe Yi as well as interns Georgiana, Raleigh, Demarius and Jake to hear about the projects they're working on, the skills they're developing and the advice they'd give to others just starting out in their careers.
From intern to graduate
Joe Yi Ng's journey shows how an internship can open the door to your first graduate role. After joining EnerMech in Western Australia through Curtin University's undergraduate internship program in November 2025, Joe Yi
successfully transitioned into the graduate program and now works as a Graduate Engineer in the process and pipelines team.
During her time with EnerMech, Joe Yi has developed the ability to adapt quickly, take initiative and work confidently in a fast-paced project environment. Supporting engineering preparation across operational projects has reinforced the importance of delivering quality work while never losing sight of safety.
"The biggest skill I've developed is being adaptable and learning how to work effectively in a fast-paced environment," Joe Yi said. "Every project has different challenges, so I've learned to embrace change, take initiative and see every task as an opportunity to learn."
Joe Yi credits her manager, Daniel Halse, and the wider engineering team with helping her grow both technically and professionally by giving him the confidence to ask questions, take on new responsibilities and continuously learn.
Reflecting on her journey from intern to graduate, Joe Yi hopes her experience encourages others to take the first step.
"My experience at EnerMech has had a huge impact on my early career," she said. "Starting as an undergraduate intern and progressing into the graduate program has helped me discover the type of engineer I want to become and has given me a clearer vision for my future career."
Turning knowledge into practical skills
For Georgiana Kamau, a Petroleum Engineering student at Louisiana State University working with the Technical Solutions team, the experience has reinforced the importance of efficiency, organization and continuous learning. During her internship so far, she has developed printable calculation sheets that help technicians and engineers complete calculations faster while providing clients with a clear and professional record of the work.
"One of the biggest skills I have developed during my internship is efficiency," said Georgiana. "I have learned how important it is to deliver high quality work while staying organized and meeting deadlines."
With encouragement from her manager, David Winter, Georgiana has embraced every opportunity to research new topics and tackle new challenges. The experience has also given her a greater appreciation of the vital role service companies play in the energy industry, strengthening her ambition to build a career in oil and gas after graduation.
Seeing the bigger picture
On the Business Development team, Raleigh Jackson has discovered that successful sales are built on much more than relationships. By developing a standardized account management template, Raleigh has helped create consistent account management decks that improve organization, highlight opportunities and support collaboration across teams.
"The biggest new skill I have developed is opportunity framing - learning how to analyze the data and realities of an account or opportunity and turn them into clear, actionable insights," Raleigh said.
Along the way, he has gained valuable insight into the full sales process through the support of colleagues across the business, including opportunities to attend industry events and customer meetings. His internship has shown him just how many businesses, technologies and specialist services work together behind the scenes to keep the energy sector moving.
From classroom learning to office working
For Demarius Dover, a finance intern supporting the accounting team, the experience has brought classroom learning to life. Working with financial models, analyzing project performance and learning to navigate business systems have given him practical experience in how financial analysis supports major operations. Just as importantly, his team has taken the time to explain the reason behind the numbers, helping him understand the bigger picture.
“What's made the difference is that they take the time to explain the 'why' behind the work and trust me with hands-on, impactful projects,” said Demarius on his time at EnerMech.
Moving from his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, to a major energy hub has given Demarius a new perspective on the scale and collaboration required across the industry, laying a strong foundation for a future career in financial planning and analysis or project finance.
“My advice to anyone considering this path: look beyond the spreadsheets," he added. "Learn the actual business and how different departments interact, because the best finance professionals are the ones who understand the whole picture."
Driving efficiency through technology
For Jake Escovedo, working across Corporate Development and Business Development, he has focused on leveraging technology to improve how people work. By helping to automate the Customer Visit Report process, Jake has streamlined manual tasks, improved data management, and made customer insights more accessible across the business. Trusted to take ownership of meaningful projects, he has developed valuable skills in automation, process improvement and problem-solving while gaining a greater appreciation for the breadth of EnerMech's services and the expertise required to deliver them safely and efficiently.
“Walking through the shop and seeing the equipment, capabilities, and level of detail involved gave me a better appreciation for how much work goes into delivering services safely and efficiently," said Jake.
Developing skills that last
Although each internship has been different, common themes run through every experience. Curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to step outside of comfort zones have helped each intern grow both personally and professionally. Equally important has been the support of colleagues and mentors who have shared their knowledge, encouraged questions and trusted our interns with meaningful work from day one.
Jayne Hayward, Director, Talent & Learning, said, “What stands out most about this year's interns and graduates is their curiosity and their willingness to get stuck in. They've asked good questions, taken on real responsibility and made a genuine contribution to their teams from day one. That's exactly the kind of talent our industry needs, and we're proud to be helping shape the next generation of professionals who will take it forward.
“On World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate not only the skills our interns and graduates are developing, but also the people helping them succeed. By creating opportunities to learn, innovate and contribute, EnerMech is helping develop the next generation of professionals who will shape the future of our industry.
“For anyone considering an internship or career in the energy industry, our interns all shared the same advice. Be curious, ask questions and make the most of every opportunity to learn. The more you get involved and challenge yourself, the more you'll take away from the experience.”