Our graduate programme is about more than just where you work. It’s about what you work towards.
If you’re looking for more than a job, something with purpose, you’ve come to the right place. It’s about being a part of something bigger. About tackling one of the defining challenges of our time. And doing it as part of a driven team.
To show you what that looks like, we asked six of our graduates to share their journeys. It's time to hear more about the projects they’ve worked on, the people they met and even how they constantly got pushed out of their comfort zone - and lived to tell the tale!
It's time to meet Helene, Victor, Kátia, Toby, Melanie and Sherif.
"The biggest surprise was all the welcoming people and that everyone truly works together. Even if you’re freshly graduated and don’t have much experience, you will be part of the team from the start,” Helene explains.
She’s one of five graduates we’ve rustled up to give some insight into life as a graduate in Equinor. She holds a Masters in cybernetics and robotics from NTNU and is now working as an automation engineer.
“All our engineering fields are multi-disciplined. We’re not just working within our own fields; we all work together. I really like that approach, because you can be open, curious and ask whatever question you have,” she explains.
“We also have a lot of different cultures in our teams, so you have to adapt to others, which I think makes collaboration in Equinor quite special,” Helene adds.
During her graduate programme, she has experienced a lot - even going offshore. And this variation has been one of the highlights, she says.
“You’re not just in one place for two years, you go on different rotations and get opportunities to try new stuff all the time," Helene says.
"You can also get the opportunity to travel, meet new people and work with new technologies, which has been a lot of fun,” Helene says.
Constantly pushed out of your comfort zone
As a graduate, you’ll be going through a few rotations in different departments in Equinor, so you’ll get to see the bigger picture right from the start.
Victor, who holds a master’s degree from IFP School, is now working as a data scientist in Equinor and explains that these rotations have been both a challenge and a highlight:
“At the end of a rotation, you feel like you have a solid understanding of your task and what you do. And then you’re on to the next one, where you’re starting from scratch again. I was constantly pushed out of my comfort zone,” Victor says.
“It was a bit frustrating when I started, because I wanted to know how to do everything the first day. But now looking back, it’s very rewarding. I can understand how much I've learned and how much I've grown,” he smiles.
When we ask Victor what he would tell himself at the start of the graduate programme, if he knew then what he knows now, he would tell himself to be bolder.
“Be bold about the rotations and what business units you want to work with. And don’t be afraid to step into something new. Real growth happens from being in an unknown environment and learning as much as you can,” Victor says.
A generation with a lot to say
Kátia, an engineering graduate with a master's degree from IFP School, explains that there is a strong desire among young people to be part of meaningful change, and to actively shape the future rather than just observe it. And working in Equinor has given her just that.
“Being here feels like a great opportunity to be involved in that change. It's a chance to turn ideas into action and to help bring about the kind of future we want to see,” Kátia explains.
“I would definitely say that working in Equinor is a huge opportunity for that place where those ambitions and contributions can truly come to life,” she adds.
We say that we are an energy company searching for better. Searching for better is a big part of who we are, whether you’re a graduate, long-time employee or our CEO. But what does it mean to Kátia?
“If we’re truly going to search for something better, it has to be a collective effort. It can't come from just one country or one perspective. It must be a collaboration between different parts of the world, working together toward solutions that benefit all of us in some way,” she says.
“We have to ensure that we’re providing energy in a way that’s sustainable and that reaches more people around the world, improving lives while also protecting the planet,” she adds.
Everything easy has already been done
We’ve been in the oil and gas business for more than 50 years, and if you think this means that everything is smooth sailing you’re going to be mistaken. Especially if you’re working in the subsurface, like Toby:
“Everything easy has already been drilled, so now everything is a challenge. We have to come up with new concepts, new ideas and constantly find new solutions to achieve our targets. Which is a big challenge, but a lot of fun,” Toby says.
Toby holds a master’s degree from Imperial College London and now works as a geologist in Equinor. When we ask him what makes work fun, the answer isn’t a potential celebratory cake or a pat on the back at the end; it’s colleagues.
“If you struggle with a problem and you reach out to someone, you’re guaranteed to get help. How eager people are to help surprised me a little. It seemed like people would almost drop whatever they were doing to help us graduates out when we asked,” he says.
We expect you to be part of the team and work on projects from the beginning, but learning is an equal big part of being a graduate in Equinor.
Some of it happens on the job, some of it from courses, but a lot will happen just from chatting with your colleagues.
“I’m reaching out and getting advice from people with much more experience than me. Some have more than 30 years of experience and will gladly sit down and give me advice and answer my questions. But they’re also open to me challenging them,” Toby says.
“I feel like I’m part of one team within Equinor. We all have the same goal and we’re really helping each other out to achieve it,” he adds.
I've seen a genuine push for change
Sure, the graduate program gets you a look into Equinor, the energy industry and a flying start to your career, but we hope it’ll also help you grow as a person.
For Melanie, who graduated with a master’s degree from NHH and is now working in finance and control, that is exactly what happened.
“Personally, I’ve grown into a more confident and sociable person and many networking opportunities have played a big role in that growth. They’ve helped me feel more comfortable approaching people, even those at different levels of seniority, which has really expanded my ability to connect and engage with people across Equinor,” Melanie says.
We say we want to be a leading company in the energy transition.
Standing on the outside you might not always get that impression, but being on the inside lets you see a bigger picture and how all our projects come together.
“Being part of the company, you really start to see that there is a genuine push for change and for driving the energy transition. It’s not just something that’s promoted in the media, it’s something that is actively happening behind the scenes,” Melanie explains.
“Working in Equinor has made me realize how deeply the energy transition is embedded in different areas of the business. It’s encouraging to see that it’s a true priority and that real work is being done to support it,” she says.
Exposed to the energy transition
Sherif, a reservoir engineering graduate from TU Clausthal, completed rotations in both low-carbon solutions and traditional oil and gas.
“I started as a CCS reservoir engineer, working on securing CO₂ storage licenses in Norway and internationally. That gave me a strong technical foundation and insight into how large-scale CCS can support the energy transition,” Sherif says.
A lot of our operations happen offshore, and if you’re lucky, you might even get to experience that as a graduate. During his second rotation, Sherif went offshore to work with drilling and well operations on an oil and gas rig in the North Sea.
“It was a completely different environment, and it was fascinating to see the strong collaboration offshore. Working closely with the teams there helped expand my network and deepen my understanding of oil and gas operations,” he explains.
Now working on the CO₂ Highway Europe project, Sherif supports the commercial development of cross-border CO₂ transport and storage solutions.
“I’ve also gained valuable experience in project economics and commercial strategy. It made me more aware of how energy companies can enable climate solutions while ensuring energy security across Europe and beyond,” Sherif says.
We are searching for people who...
Have the motivation and drive to contribute to the energy transition in a rapidly changing industry
Can bring new perspectives and new knowledge
Are willing to challenge us
Demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills when faced with complex challenges
Are analytical
Seek learning opportunities and constructive feedback.
Are curious and can solve challenges through embracing new technology and performing in a digitally enabled environment
