Melissa Au’s dream is to make a positive impact on the world. Passionate about sustainable energy solutions, she learned a lot while working at Shell and Viva Energy for 11 years. Now she’s taking the next step towards making her dream come true by undertaking a Masters degree at Columbia University.
Melissa can remember the exact moment that changed her life. “I was eight years old and saw an ad on television for an energy company. It featured a man who travelled the world looking for renewable energy sources, and it immediately struck a chord. That’s what I want to do, I thought.”
It left such a powerful impression that Melissa wrote about this experience as part of her application to pursue a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) in Economic Policy and Management at Columbia University.
“I chose Columbia because it’s one of the few institutions in the world to offer a specialised course in Global Energy Management, which is exactly what I want to do,” she says.
All the right moves
Columbia is the next step in a career that seems almost predetermined.
“After university I applied for internships at oil and gas companies and was lucky enough to find a place at Shell,” she says. It was a deliberate and brilliant move, because it gave her an insider’s view of how an energy company works.
Starting as a Commercial Intern in Retail she gained valuable experience in operational roles within the Retail team, which included the launch of Shell V-Power in Western Australia.
“I enjoyed my time in Retail, but to progress the path I wanted to follow, I knew I had to learn more about the supply chain. So I requested a move to the Business Development Team.”
When the opportunity arose, Shell facilitated the transition.
She loved her role, making sure the supply chain could efficiently handle the needs of new customers, and further broadened her knowledge.
But it was a couple of stints working in the Economic and Scheduling team at the Geelong Refinery that really changed her career.
The initial experience was a steep learning curve. Normally a role at the refinery would require someone with technical or engineering experience.
“They were taking a chance with me, but they said that as long as I was willing to learn they would support me 100 percent.”
And learn she did, developing her technical knowledge and a deeper understanding of the refinery’s operations.
Melissa knew that the refinery was where she wanted to be. So, after 18 months in Melbourne where she once again worked in the supply chain – this time in shipping – she returned to the E&S team to take on a project role helping the refinery participate in the natural gas spot market.
It was a unique opportunity made possible by a senior manager who knew of Melissa’s aspirations and potential and was more than happy to help her return to the team she loved.
Chasing the dream
Melissa’s eleven years at Shell and Viva Energy have been invaluable. She’s gained knowledge that will be useful as she now pursues her passion to shape government policy around energy.
“Policy creates a framework in which everyone operates: individuals, businesses and the whole of society.”
“The framework in many ways dictates behaviours, priorities and direction. So if I can understand the framework then I can influence it, and hopefully change it for the better.”
The next step is to study at Columbia, learn from some of the most respected academics in the world of energy and ultimately move to a role in energy policy.
Mind you, it wasn’t an easy decision. The 12-month course is highly intensive and the application process was not much easier.
Support when it was needed
Melissa confided in her former boss and long-time mentor at Viva Energy, who encouraged her to pursue her dream.
“He said, ‘If it’s something that you want you should definitely go after it and give it your best shot. If it comes off, great, and if it doesn’t I’m pretty sure you’ll learn from the experience.’ He was right.”
A letter of recommendation accompanied his advice, and his reassurance that Viva Energy would give her a 12-month career break while she was in America made the decision easy.
It took six months of study on weekends and after work to prepare for the GMAT test and complete the essay that formed part of the application. “I think my experiences with Shell and Viva Energy helped me stand out from other applicants,” she says.
Melissa was accepted, and now she has joined a select class of just 32 students from around the globe, learning from educators with experience in organisations such as the World Bank and World Economic Forum.
“All the hard work was worth it,” she says. “And it probably wouldn’t have happened without that support and advice.”
Home to opportunity
So far, Melissa is enjoying her time in New York, and looking forward to eventually returning to Viva Energy and applying what she learns in practical ways.
“The whole point of going to America is to come back and use the experiences and the knowledge I get here in Australia,” she says.
“In terms of the role I want to do, I think it will be multi-faceted. I’d love to be an advocate and influence energy policy from an industry perspective.”
“I’d also be interested in alternative fuels or new fuels, and looking at how we can help the refinery with its energy practices. Because I really did love my time there, and I want to see the refinery operating well into the future.”
The refinery is where Melissa wants to be. And with good people who have the right values and an appetite for reform, Viva Energy is the company she wants to work with.
“It’s something I’m passionate about. So if I can get anything from the course about how they do things over there and bring it back here, I will. That’s one of my goals.”
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* Viva Energy is the exclusive licensee to the Shell brand in Australia and was launched in 2014.