Photo of Emilie Heyerdahl and Anders Walberg Nilssen sitting around a table outdoor

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Doubt, determination and an open mind

People & perspectives
Energy transition & net zero

What happens when fresh, young graduates like Emilie Heyerdahl and Anders Walberg Nilssen start working for a major energy company? What’s it like to be part of a generation that expects action – while in the midst of one of the most difficult transitions of our time?

For Emilie Heyerdahl, with a master's in Human Resource Management, the transition from university to working life was an eye-opener.

"The reactions were mixed, and I was a little surprised by that. They didn't just ask ‘Cool, what are you going to work on?’, but rather: ‘What do you think about where they're headed? Why is there still so much oil and gas?’."

Emilie Heyerdahl writing on her laptop, a coffee and green plants on the table and you can see people outside through the window — With a fresh master's degree from Copenhagen Business School, Emilie Heyerdahl's first meeting with Equinor at home in Norway reminded her that she was now part of a company in the middle of the energy transition.
Photo: Andreas Kleiberg.

These questions conjured up an internal dialogue.

"I had to ask myself a few questions: What do I want to contribute? Why do I want to work for Equinor? And why right now, at a time where so much feels uncertain?" She and Anders Walberg Nilssen arrived at the same answer: More than ever, this is the time to be part of the solution and help shape the change from the inside.

A culture unafraid of critical questions

As participants in Equinor's two-year graduate programme, they were not met with a cautious introduction, but rather a clear expectation to contribute from day one. In Anders’ words, they "had to sink or swim". Anders, who has two master's degrees from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), works to connect Equinor with innovative start-up companies. He describes a culture hungry for new perspectives.

"Every time I walk into a new place, one of the first things I hear is "Anders, you're coming in with a fresh pair of eyes and we need your perspectives," he says.

Anders Walberg Nilssen in the Startup Hub offices — At the Equinor Startup Hub, Anders builds bridges between Equinor's large-scale systems and the rapid, creative innovation found in start-up communities.
Photo: Andreas Kleiberg

This perceived trust is key in any conversation, whether it be with a colleague or a senior executive. Emilie tells us about her first management meeting as a professional assistant to a senior executive, where she was asked to challenge established thinking.

"I just sat there thinking, 'OK, I barely know what we're talking about today,'" she says with a laugh.

According to Emilie, she eventually realised that being given the trust to challenge at an early stage is a unique feature of the Equinor culture.

"They basically expect us to ask critical questions. How else can we create new solutions," she says.

Navigating complexity and doubt

Equinor's ambition is to be a leading company in the energy transition. In order to achieve this, we need more than just bright minds, we also need new people who can provide different perspectives. However, the road to this goal is anything but straightforward. For Anders, this actually became clear on his first workday.

"My first day at the office, I was met by a demonstration by Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion. I could really feel my heart pounding, and I was thinking about the clear choice I was making," he says.

Both he and Emilie have faced the enormous complexity of the job, hands-on.

"Once we're on the inside, we can see that things are much more complex than the questions we get from the outside. It's never black and white," Emilie says.

Emilie has personally wrestled with the doubt as to whether or not Equinor can actually succeed in its ambitions. She believes it’s important to talk even more about why the company makes the decisions it does, especially when external incidents constantly have an impact on these decisions. This openness about the dilemmas is precisely the kind of thing she thinks her generation expects.

"Some days I'm a true believer, while other days I feel like there's no way we'll succeed," Anders says. This honesty reflects the scope of the challenge.

Technology and new ideas as guiding stars

So, what inspires hope and optimism for them? For Anders, the answer is technology, hands down. Through his work, he's seen the enormous power of innovation and the determination to embrace new solutions faster than before. For him, technology development is critical for success.

Emilie finds optimism in the people and the interdisciplinary skills she's discovered at the company.

"I've realised how much we invest and how many people we've employed to find new solutions. We've got everything from psychologists to strategists and learning specialists. This diversity of different people thinking in a variety of ways truly is the key," she says.

Emilie and Anders carrying a kayak near the sea

For Equinor, there’s no question that this generation is the crucial key. They're not only bringing fresh knowledge, but also a critical eye and inherent eagerness. The fact that they choose to stay, despite their doubts, may be the strongest proof that the culture works. They're not only taking part in shaping the future, they're holding the present accountable, one critical question at a time.

"If the energy transition was easy, they wouldn't need people like us," Anders notes.

"And we're the ones who'll be shaping the Equinor of the future, which is highly motivating," he continues.

We're looking for the next generation of minds searching for better – is that you? Find more information and apply for Equinor's graduate programme.

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