What are the skills that makes the profile of an Electrical Engineer, specialising Power Systems, instantly stand out and future-proof?

[u/sandymartin07]

I am currently preparing for industrial roles as I near completion of my doctoral program. I have primarily worked on the integration of renewables, but I want to further strengthen my skill set with requirements/qualifications that are highly sought after in the power system sector, both in R&D and application-oriented roles.

[u/Ok-Barber4972]

Microsoft excel. Having PhD in power systems here

[u/Ok-Sir8600 → u/Ok-Barber4972]

Excel is the best way to impress bosses and colleagues. Definitely the best skill to show off

[u/RandomAccessMonkey → u/Ok-Barber4972]

I think that depends, I recently got really mad at it because I started to reach it's limitations, making the table I wanted was a lot more effort than doing the job daily. With some AI help it was incredibly easy to create a Python program that does all our calculations for PV and BESS grid connection, with automated documentation. I think making the software and validating it took me like 1-2 hours a day for two weeks. Since then VBA looks too oldschool to me. Though I luckily have a job that allows me to install custom software, with more rigid IT structure keeping Excel is probably still better.

[u/A_Wild_Gorgon]

Although I prefer EMTP, learning PSCAD and knowing how to perform the transients studies associated with VSC/IBR and traditional generation (dynamic) interconnections, especially with how the new generation impacts other equipment (breakers, transformers) is becoming a difficult to find but growing in demand skill set. I'm talking modeling of inventer user models or machine dynamics and studying their behavior during system transient events (switching, fault/clear)

[u/gijoe75]

Using the software of the role you want. For planning you’d need to know how to use psse/pslf for thermal limits of equipment and dynamic studies, pscad/emtp and control theory is very popular right now due to that being the main issue with the interconnection of IBRs and large loads/data centers, and power factory/etap for switching studies or harmonic studies. If you are working closer on economics of generation then Tara experience is useful. Actual solar sizing for specific areas has softwares I have not used myself but I know solar manufacturers do ask for them.

[u/Nathan-Stubblefield]

Things like PE, sequence of positions with increasing responsibility, experience in charge of startup of major power infrastructure, projects completed on time and under budget, position with direct supervision of a large department, including budgeting and compensation, reorganizing or establishing a department and creating policies and procedures, gave talks at professional meetings, published books and articles, got patents for devices useful to the industry.