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Taking Military Experience into Renewable Energy: In Conversation with Dujon Goncalves-Collins

On Armed Forces Day, we want to recognise all our colleagues who are part of the Armed Forces community, whether they’re veterans, reservists, volunteers in the Cadet Force, or supporters. They make a huge contribution to society and they bring invaluable skills to the energy industry.

We’re always keen to help more military personnel transition into the energy sector, and to support those who are part of the Armed Forces. So this year, we spoke to Dujon Goncalves-Collins, a Principal Advisor in Aviation, Defence and Radar at RWE, whose career began in the Royal Air Force and evolved into working at the intersection of defence, aviation, and wind power. We asked him about his military career, how his skills have translated into his current role and how RWE is supporting the Armed Forces community.

Dujon, could you tell us about your military career, and how you transitioned into working in our sector?

I joined the Royal Air Force in February 1987 as a gunner in the RAF Regiment, and spent 13 years in a number of squadrons, based in both the UK and Germany.

During that time, I topped up my qualifications so that I could become a commissioned officer, specialising as an Airspace Battle Manager. This included working in air surveillance and command and control centres in the UK and overseas. My final role focused on the interface between the UK’s air defence system and wind farms, working on mitigation measures to enable defence and aviation operations so they can continue safely and effectively.

The opportunity then arose to look at those same challenges for the wind power sector when I joined RenewableUK in 2013 as their Head of Aviation. I then joined RWE in 2024, where I now work directly supporting our portfolio of projects and with Government and defence bodies to ensure that our wind farms can coexist with defence.

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Which skills developed over their careers make military personnel such a great asset to the energy industry?

From a personal perspective, the ability to solve problems efficiently and to learn quickly has been particularly helpful. Service personnel are used to mastering new topics, adapting to changing situations and finding practical solutions.

Working in the Armed Forces also gives you a great understanding of how to get the most out of your team, whether that’s through leadership and taking accountability, or listening to your colleagues and understanding their perspective. In the military, you are never just a leader, a manager or a specialist, you are often all three and understand the value of teamwork!

Those with an engineering background will have developed specific technical skills which are highly transferable. Equally, members of the Armed Forces who have worked in operations, strategy, planning, or other support functions will also bring strengths and qualities that can add real value to the energy industry.

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How does RWE support existing colleagues who are part of the Armed Forces community?

We know that it’s important to support every member of the Armed Forces community, whether they are veterans, reservists, or cadet force volunteers, and we ensure our policies reflect this. For example, RWE provides additional leave for Cadet Force volunteers and reservists, so our colleagues can carry out their duties.

We’re now establishing an Armed Forces community network within RWE, the inaugural meeting of which took place this week. This will bring together people with Armed Forces backgrounds as well as colleagues who want to support them. Armed Forces personnel don't always know who else within the business shares a similar background, so the network will help people connect, share experiences, understand the support available and help managers better understand the needs of the Armed Forces community. 

The network will also help us provide more structured advice and guidance to people outside RWE who are exploring career opportunities in the energy sector. This will build on the support we already provide to members of the public who contact us each week.

How does RWE support ex-military personnel transitioning into the sector?

Since I joined the company, RWE has achieved the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme’s Gold status, which reflects its commitment to the values of the Armed Forces Covenant. This is not a mere tick-box exercise for us. We want to make sure people are aware of our policies, opportunities and the internal support available to them.

RWE actively supports people transitioning into civilian careers through initiatives such as exhibiting at Career Transition Partnership (CTP) events, ensuring that relevant roles are featured on the CTP website, and supporting the National Transition Event. I personally help by representing RWE at those events, as well as Chairing the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s Military Working Group.

What’s your advice to anyone thinking about making the transition into the energy sector?

In two words: research and network.

I’d definitely encourage people to attend the CTP events and the National Transition Event, which provide great opportunities to understand what is available, and meet employers and employees. There are also often people on LinkedIn forums who are willing to provide informal facilitation. 

The tip I always give to anyone trying to get into a new career, is to take a look at job specs and have a think about how your skills and experiences read across, especially in CVs, covering letters and interviews for the jobs in the energy industry which you might be interested in. 

The job finder on RenewableUK or the listed roles on Mission Renewable are particularly good places to look. You might be surprised by how many of the roles’ requirements you may meet!

UK Armed Forces Day 2026

As we celebrate our Armed Forces on this day, let’s recognise the remarkable potential within this community. Companies like RWE are leading the way for veterans, reservists and volunteers to thrive in their careers and bring their invaluable skills to the forefront of the energy transition. 

For more information on how to get involved and support our veterans, visit the Armed Forces Covenant website and explore the many ways you can show your appreciation and support.

For more information about RWE and our approach to engaging with the Armed Forces, please visit our website: here

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