The drive to deliver solutions that genuinely make people’s lives better

As part of our series showcasing green jobs at E.ON, we’re talking to colleagues from across our business about their green job and what green jobs mean to them.

Marco Aulino is a Senior Delivery Manager in Green Funding Solutions at E.ON UK and spends his days helping customers and communities across the UK benefit from improved energy efficiency and sustainability.

As part of our Green Funding Solutions team, Marco is helping lead the energy transition for those most vulnerable in our society. He works closely with local authorities and housing associations across the country, using government grants such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), to deliver energy efficiency upgrades for people living in fuel poverty.

And this is exactly what Marco loves about his role. “We’ve so many residents who were unable to even turn their heating on in winter, who are now living in cosy and warm homes with no worries about their energy costs thanks to how efficient their properties now are.”

Marco oversees a portfolio of green initiatives, ensuring compliance with government grants and shaping the delivery strategy to maximise value for money for our partners as well as the number of households supported.

Marco goes on to explain exactly how he makes this happen for residents: “In Green Funding Solutions, we’re experts in installing insulation and we’re also a large-scale installer of solar panels and air source heat pumps. These things all work well in conjunction with each other. Insulation supports residents to drastically reduce their heating demand during winter and they can also generate their own renewable electricity, allowing them to heat their homes sustainably and independently from the grid.”

For the love of sustainability

And delivering these projects not only benefits residents and their local authority or housing association, but the planet too. Marco adds: “By improving these homes for people most in need, we’re also helping tackle the climate crisis by lowering household emissions. As a father of two, I feel I’m paving the way to a greener planet that my kids will be able to enjoy.”

How did Marco fall in love with sustainability at E.ON? That’s easy. Smart meters. Though it may seem odd to some, Marco explains: “When I first started at E.ON in 2018, I spent a year looking after smart meter rollout compliance. It really helped me understand and support E.ON’s sustainability mission and set me on the career path that brought me to my current role.”

Following on from this inspiring start, Marco completed E.ON’s graduate programme where he worked in our customer service teams, spending a lot of time talking to our customers and understanding what they need and want from their energy supplier. Marco say:, “It’s the combination of these roles that truly developed my love for customer service and my drive to deliver solutions that genuinely make people’s lives better.”

And when asked about his favourite thing about his role, Marco beams: “It’s waking up every day and going to work with a smile. My role is all about innovation, sustainability and resilience – and I’m truly making a real difference.”

The value of green jobs

According to Marco, a green job is one that has “an overall nil or positive impact on the environment, and which is fully sustainable adding value to stakeholders and society”.

And as we move towards a greener, more sustainable energy system, green jobs will become the norm. In fact, green skills are already in high demand and are needed to serve a range of areas from energy-demanding new technology, such as AI, electric vehicles and advancements in battery storage technologies.

Marco adds there’s exciting times ahead in the next 5 to 10 years. “We’re likely to see more industries start their electrification journeys which will lead to increased demand for renewable energy solutions and smarter ways to use available generation without relying on fossil fuels.”

And for those interested in starting on building a green career, Marco suggests keeping an eye out for disruptive technology. “It’s impossible to ignore how quickly AI is entering our everyday life and I believe it will have a transformative effect in any industry ready to welcome it with open arms.”

As for industries to consider, Marco has an answer for that too. “Engineering is an exciting field now more than ever. Technology in energy generation and storage is progressing incredibly quickly with countries like the UK leading the way towards electrification of private and public transport. Another interesting field is food technology; we’ve reached the milestone of 10 billion people on the planet, so food supply is going to be a major challenge as the population keeps growing and demanding more food.”

But while technological advancements are exciting and can drive real opportunities, Marco advises placing the customer at the heart of any career plans. “I’d strongly suggest starting any career with a role which exposes you to customers. Whether it involves people’s homes or talking to them over the phone. It’s incredibly easy to get lost in numbers but it’s important to remember that anything that we do has an impact on another human being.”

To find out more about careers at E.ON, visit our careers webpage.