Melanie Schultz
Program Manager
National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium
Altamont, NY USA
“Good things come to those who wait.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationMelanie Schultz
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
We had a residential wind turbine at our house growing up, so I was introduced to wind energy early on.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from SUNY Empire State University.
I built a 20-year career in electrical distribution, part of which was focused in supply chain management working with wind tower manufacturers.
I gained my passion for wind energy while managing that wind program.
When COVID-19 hit, I lost my job and took six months off trying to figure out what I wanted next out of my career.
I decided to take a graduate course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in offshore wind professional development.
After the program, I was able to get a supply chain job with one of my former wind customers.
I spent a year with the company before moving on to my current role now as a program manager for the National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Business Management/Finance
SUNY Empire State College
Business Management/Finance
SUNY Empire State College
Certification/License
Fundamentals of Offshore Wind
Stony Brook University School of Professional Development
Fundamentals of Offshore Wind
Stony Brook University School of Professional Development
Certification/License
Offshore Wind
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Offshore Wind
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Career
Program Manager
I manage offshore wind energy research and development projects through different challenge areas.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Science
Accomplishing Goals
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Stay engaged in science and math. Those are the courses that will really set you up well if you're looking forward to a career in renewable energy. If your school doesn't already work with a wind energy program, ask your science teacher to reach out to organizations that can help start that at your school. Look for colleges that offer sustainability and renewable energy programs.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Job Loss
