About

As part of my undergraduate engineering degree, I was required to complete a minimum of four internships prior to graduation. For my first three internships, I worked at an oil and gas operating company where my main responsibilities were project management tasks, such as maintaining registers and tracking schedules. So, for my fourth and final internship, I wanted to work at a company that would provide the opportunity to conduct detailed technical and analytical engineering work and allow me to take ownership of projects – and that is exactly what I found at 2H!

From day one working as an intern, I was responsible for building finite element models, running analytical simulations, and presenting results to major oil and gas clients. I also loved the emphasis 2H put on cultivating a positive, supportive working environment and after completing my four-month internship with 2H, I knew it was the right fit for me and where I wanted to start my career as a young engineering professional.

Reasons I’m still at 2H after five years 

I love the challenge of working on complex problems in a fast-paced environment and the real feeling of accomplishment when we provide a solution to the client. Some of my most rewarding experiences have come from working offshore. It’s amazing to see an engineering design come to life in its operational environment.

The commitment to development and training provided by 2H has allowed me to expand my engineering knowledge and skills. The management team is willing to support development activities which will help me grow and become a better engineer. They made it possible for me to write a technical paper based on a unique project and present the findings at the Offshore Technology Conference.

One of my favourite experiences was being seconded to 2H’s Perth office and being able to explore that part of the world while working on some different types of projects. 

It’s cliché to say, but 2H truly does feel like a family. We care about each other, and someone is always there to provide a helping hand when it is needed.

About

I first heard about 2H at a floating wind conference in Houston in 2021 and was immediately impressed by how they were using their oil and gas expertise to bring new technology to the renewables sector. One of the main reasons I applied is the ability to work on high-profile projects for big industry players but with all the benefits of working in a smaller company. 

Things I love about 2H after my first year

The 2H team has spent 30 years building a truly unique company culture that prioritises collaboration and learning together. As a new college graduate, I was worried that I would either not be given enough work or be expected to know too much from the beginning. Luckily, 2H often hires new graduates, and the company is well-adjusted to training and developing people with my experience level. I have felt like my work was challenging but not overly so, and there is always a project team to support you.

The work that I am doing is exciting as well. During my job search, all the offshore wind jobs seemed to be looking for engineers with over 10 years of experience, so I was willing to do any work that would guide me to a future in wind. In my interview at 2H, I expressed an interest in working primarily in offshore wind and my managers have worked to make sure that my assigned projects are aligned with this. This has been the highlight of my time with 2H, as I never expected to work in offshore wind as an entry-level engineer.

The fun stuff—2H has a great company culture outside of work and a young, sociable team. My first week coincided with a team-building event so I was able to meet 30 co-workers and get to know everyone before I had even seen many of them in the office.

About

I’ve been back at 2H as a principal engineer for a year and a half after working for a much larger contractor for three years. But I started my career at 2H after graduating from the University of Sheffield with a degree in mechanical engineering and worked here initially for seven years.

When I started out as an engineer, I worked on a variety of small, interesting projects. Over time, I got the opportunity to play a key role in some of 2H’s larger detailed design projects, including a hybrid riser design project and a flexible riser and umbilical design project both in West Africa. I came back to 2H with experience in fixed and floating wind design scopes, so since I’ve re-joined, I’ve played lead roles on a number of small and large offshore wind projects.

The recent projects I’ve been involved with have been particularly interesting. First, I project managed a cable decommissioning study an offshore wind farm in the North Sea, working with our California office and a team from Acteon. For more than a year now, I have been the package manager for the spoil management system on an offshore wind foundation installation project. And more recently, I have been overseeing a fixed wind foundation pre-FEED scope, assessing both monopile and jacket structures. 

What makes 2H unique? 

Unless you have worked for a larger contractor or developer, it is very easy to take for granted how well-connected we all are here at 2H. It is possible to speak to anyone in the company at the drop of a hat, find out what your colleagues are working on, and feel like the work you’re doing is truly contributing to the company’s success.

Any advice for engineers starting out?

 Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I was clueless about the industry when I started, but one of the best things about 2H is that a lot of your seniors will have been in your position at one stage, and they won’t hesitate to help or point you in the right direction. Also don’t be afraid of trying new things. One of the best ways of learning is doing.

About

I was so excited to join 2H after graduating in 2019 and couldn’t wait to see what I would be doing. In my four years at 2H, despite being a newbie during the pandemic, 2H has offered me more opportunities than I could have imagined. I worried that it would be a repetitive desk job, but instead I found myself:

• Working on a large variety of interesting, challenging and unique projects

• Getting hands-on, in-field experience on offshore trips

• Working abroad at another 2H office, meeting new people and making the most of experiencing new places

• Attending industry conferences and participating in webinars

• Using my language skills to lead a webinar for Spanish-speaking clients

• Working alongside industry-leading experts and all different types of engineers.

Other things that I love about 2H 

• 2H focuses on employee growth and it is very apparent that they put their employees first. People stay at 2H for a long time

• There is an open-door policy so that anyone can raise questions or have an open conversation at any time

• The personal connections I have made with co-workers through events like team building and weekly social hours

• Meeting some of my best friends here.

About

My background is a little unconventional as I was already working in the industry as a condition monitoring engineer whilst studying for my undergrad degree in Mechanical and Energy Engineering. After graduating four years ago, I started with 2H as an engineer. I was primarily focused on drilling risers and completions but have slowly transitioned into renewables where I have been working on FEED studies for new floating offshore projects. That has been really fulfilling for me and has opened the door to a number of development opportunities.

Achievements I am proud of

• Presenting at a renewables seminar in Edinburgh where I received a great amount of positive feedback from delegates

• Getting the opportunity to work in a variety of 2H offices

• Receiving the Acteon Achievers Award for special efforts to meet a very demanding deadline for a client, after being nominated by a colleague

• Being involved in exciting projects like designing special riser joints for a client by 2H to meet challenging transportation restrictions, assessing mooring, power cable and floater configurations for a new floating offshore wind project in Scotland.

What makes 2H special?

What I like about 2H is the very friendly culture. It sounds cliché but, for me, 2H me is like a second family where you will meet lifelong friends and socialise outside of work. In addition, the sheer variety of project work 2H has going on keeps things interesting and makes every day a learning experience.