For the first time in our extended series catching up with former SAGSE scholarship recipients, we head off to the Middle East this month. Harley Mitchell attended school in the 1990's in Sydney, and went on his SAGSE exchange in a town near Heidelberg in 1998 / 99. He then went on to study both Arts and Electrical Engineering, with one of his first jobs in the energy sector being for the German company Siemens. Harley is now approaching 20 years in the energy and electricity distribution industry, working with solar PV and wind generation as well as fossil fuel generators. He is now leading a team in Saudi Arabia working on a very exciting project!
Year of Exchange: 1998/99
Group Leader: Xan Coleman
School: St Andrew’s Cathedral School, NSW
Sponsor: Gerling
Town / city of exchange in Germany: Altenbach, near Heidelberg
Fundamentally I did a lot of growing up on my exchange and developed my love of other cultures, made some great friendships to this day.
I completed a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts, International Studies focused on German language and culture, at the University of Technology Sydney. As part of my studies I went back to Germany to study at the University of Karlsruhe.
My first job after my studies was for Siemens, where I worked for about 4 years working with sales, project development, delivery and commissioning of high voltage electrical equipment. Then I was with Ausgrid for 9 years, working in a range of roles such as Mains Engineering, category management and finishing up in an innovation role as Customer Technology Development Manager. I managed substantial investigation of the low voltage network, the development of the Load Information System and proposed and initiated the development of Ausgrid's Community Battery program before moving to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). After two years with AEMO, I moved to Saudi Arabia to commence working for NEOM / ENOWA, where I am now.
Working as a Development Manager - Generation - developing probably the most ambitious power generation and transmission project in history. Developing substantial marine port infrastructure, power generation and fuel infrastructure projects working in the term developing tens of gigawatts of new power generation for project NEOM in Saudi Arabia.
Continuing to live a life of service and enjoying this great adventure of life.
SAGSE has had a profound impact on my life, the SAGSE scholarship was one of the first great opportunities I had in life, it was fantastic to feel part of another family and experience their lives and to develop friendships with a great jahrgang. I never would have had this great life adventure without SAGSE, I retain an abiding interest in German history and culture as well as fluency in German as well as having managed to develop conversational ability in Spanish and Arabic.