X-Academy, the world’s first skills initiative established to inspire and harness the talent of determined minds to tackle the energy transition, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Brendan McGourty as head of experience. 

This announcement comes after five new Xccelerators began their training last month. 

Following a staggering number of applicants for the programme’s second cohort, the head of experience has been appointed to ensure the growing number of Xccelerators are fully supported throughout the two-year course.

Originally from London, Mr McGourty joins X-Academy after 16 years’ experience with the British Army’s Royal Engineers. A chartered engineer, he has a passion for sustainable energy, and this combined with the opportunity to move from the military to industry at pace is what initially attracted him to the initiative.

Mr McGourty will be responsible for supporting the nine current Xccelerators, who are currently four months into the programme, as well as welcoming a further fifteen new recruits joining between April and September. His role will see him design and deliver an experience that will give the participants exposure to various climate related challenges, opportunities to work with companies focussed on energy transition, as well as a structured personal development journey.

The new head of experience said: 
“X-Academy particularly spoke to me as I am on a personal transition journey and X-Academy’s purpose aligned with my aspiration to contribute in a meaningful way to the climate challenge facing society now.

“Xccelerators will work directly with the industry’s major players which are operating on the front line of the energy transition, providing them with exposure to both the commercial and practical elements. This allows them to fully grasp what current industry trends are and the challenges faced. As far as I am aware, I don’t know any organisation offering an opportunity as exciting as this – it certainly exceeds my own graduate training experience.

“I’ll be working with the team to make sure they are prepared to step outside of their comfort zones, whilst further establishing elements of the course to help launch their energy transition careers.” 

In addition to the appointment of Brendan, X-Academy has also appointed two project originators and leads, Matt Jacobs and Gerardo Artega.

X-Academy is currently backed by industry not-for-profit ETZ Ltd and ScotWind consortium partners bp and EnBW. 

ETZ Ltd allocated up to £1.6m from the Scottish Government’s North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF) to support the X Academy Project. NEERSF is a £14.3 million investment by the Scottish Government to support economic recovery and enhance skill levels in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire though key sector growth, employment, training, and skills development opportunities.

Maggie McGinlay, Chief Executive at ETZ Ltd said: 
"One of our region’s greatest assets is our people, it is already home to the largest energy skills cluster in the UK, so it is imperative we deliver the training and development programmes required to accelerate the transition to new energies. That is precisely why ETZ Ltd allocated £1.6 million to the X-Academy initiative and it is hugely encouraging to see such high levels of interest in the programme as it continues to grow from strength to strength.”

Brendan McGourty, and Xcellerators will be exhibiting at All Energy from Wednesday 11th – Thursday 12th May. You can visit them and find out more on Stand J10.