A milestone moment for a growing engineer

Kiera Wright has been named Supporting Net Zero Apprentice of the Year at the 2026 Scottish Apprenticeship Awards recognising her contribution to Scotland’s renewable energy sector and her commitment to inspiring the next generation of young engineers.

Kiera joined aes renewables in 2021 through a Graduate Apprenticeship. From the beginning she brought curiosity, care and a willingness to learn. Over the last several years she has steadily developed into a skilled engineer working across PV design, grid compliance and technical support. Today, her work sits behind many of the renewable energy systems we deliver across Scotland, supporting customers with clear guidance and playing a key role in our transition to a low‑carbon future.

The national award is an important milestone, well deserved recognition and an opportunity for our team to reflect on the impact of her journey so far.

Growing expertise that strengthens our technical work

Kiera’s path through a Graduate Apprenticeship combined full‑time work with degree‑level study, giving her the space to build knowledge while gaining real‑world experience. She recently completed her degree with first‑class honours, marking four years of academic and professional growth.

Within aes renewables, Kiera has become a trusted member of our design team. Her role includes producing detailed PV system designs, managing complex G99 applications and supporting customers and colleagues with technical queries. She is also a key point of contact for distribution network operators across Scotland. Her consistency, clarity and thoughtful approach have made her an important part of our delivery work.

Her contribution extends to our maintenance team, where she leads technical support that helps ensure renewable energy systems are connected and operating safely. Her steady development in these areas shows what is possible when talent and opportunity come together, and when people are supported to progress at their own pace.

Inspiring the next generation of engineers

While Kiera’s technical work strengthens our business, it is her impact in schools and colleges that has made her such a meaningful figure in the community. She regularly visits educational providers across Moray and the Highlands, sharing her experience of entering engineering through a pathway that allowed her to remain close to home.

For many pupils, her story provides a clear and honest picture of what an engineering career can look like. For girls in particular, seeing someone from their own area build a career in renewables has had a powerful impact. Her outreach helps young people imagine futures that once felt out of reach and plays an important role in inspiring the next generation of engineers who may one day join the sector.

In summer 2025, she also mentored a local sixth year student, Connie, during her work experience placement with aes renewables. Their time together offered a positive and real‑world example of women in STEM, showing what is possible when young people see someone they can relate to working in a role they might one day pursue.

Kiera often reflects on the importance of representation and the difference it makes when local role models are visible and accessible. Her commitment to this work sits at the heart of why this recognition means so much.

A journey rooted in community and opportunity

Growing up in Buckie, Kiera once believed that finding a path into engineering without leaving her hometown would be challenging. Through RGU’s Graduate Apprenticeship programme and her role with aes renewables, she has shown that high‑impact technical careers can be built within rural communities. Her story is a strong example of how work‑based learning can open doors and support Scotland’s broader transition to net zero.

The award also adds to previous recognition. In 2025 she was named Graduate Apprentice of the Year at the Highlands and Islands Apprenticeship Awards, reflecting the consistency and quality she brings to her work.

Looking ahead

Kiera’s achievement is a proud moment for her, for aes renewables and for the wider engineering community. Her journey so far shows what becomes possible when people are encouraged to grow, when they are given time to develop their confidence and when they feel supported to explore what they can do.

We are delighted to see her contribution recognised on a national stage. Her work makes a real and lasting difference to the customers who rely on our systems and to the young people who are beginning to imagine their own future careers. She is helping shape Scotland’s renewable energy workforce by inspiring the next generation, and we are fortunate to have her as part of our team.

Feeling good energy.