Spotlight on Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc graduate Shaun James Micallef

The Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment (EPEE) programme is a joint MSc with the UCL Energy Institute and the Institute for Sustainable Resources. Before starting the EPEE MSc Shaun worked as an economics consultant in Malta. Prior to that, he worked as a European Commission trainee in the Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Shaun believes that working before starting his MSc helped with his studies:

“I always recommend that postgraduate students spend some time working prior to their studies. By working in both a private and a public sector role, I could appreciate the role of different stakeholders in the policy-making process better and I could bring my experiences to the lecture room.”

After submitting his dissertation, Shaun began working for Malta’s Energy and Water Agency, helping to prepare Malta’s 2030 National Energy and Climate Plan. He has since moved to Brussels to join Cambridge Econometrics’ environment team as a Senior Economist where he is involved in consultancy projects related to energy, climate, circular economy, and natural resources. Reflecting on how the MSc helped when applying for jobs, Shaun said:

“The benefits of having a specialised MSc from a world-class university has given me a competitive edge when applying for jobs related to my area of expertise. My degree, combined with a few years of work experience, has given me the credentials needed to successfully apply for intermediate-level jobs rather than starting in an entry-level position.”

As a final piece of advice to fellow EPEE students, Shaun suggests:

Pace yourselves, seek help from your tutors and lecturers, and remember to enjoy yourself. I also advise current students to choose a dissertation topic carefully. Choose something which you will enjoy writing about and which you can speak about during a job interview. Finally, make the most of your time at UCL. The course itself has a lot to offer but by applying yourself and managing your time properly, London and UCL provide plenty of opportunities to learn new things and meet new people.”

We’d like to thank Shaun for sharing his experience of studying Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc at the The Bartlett UCL and wish him all the best in his new career.