Neisha Ramdass is a passionate energy analyst. A recent graduate of The University of the West Indies, having completed her Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in Environmental and Natural Resource Management and a minor in Entrepreneurship, she has developed a keen interest for energy policy and the issues surrounding them. That interest led her to pursue a Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Energy Management. Neisha’s desire to educate the public on the energy sector led her in the direction of becoming a modern energy blogger. She has established and developed a personal energy blog aptly named eNRgyTT.com, through which she writes and breaks down the energy sector of T&T. In spite being a woman in a field that is sometimes deemed “not quite woman-friendly”Neisha continues to let her voice be heard and let her name be remembered.
Tell us about what are you working on at present.
I recently started a new job, which I’m pretty excited about since this is the first time that I’m actually venturing out of the “energy writing realm”. I am instead putting my writing skills to the test by being a content coordinator. This means that I’m writing a whole lot, and not just about energy. I’m pushing myself to break out of the technical writing box and tap into a more emotive style of writing.
Apart from work, I recently got appointed to the Youth Government of T&T, which is a platform for youths to collaborate to foster and effect positive change in T&T. The organisation is not political by any means, instead we choose to engage all sects of Trinidad and Tobago: the government, the opposition, as well as the public and private sectors, in order to develop and execute action plans in hopes of improving all sectors of the country. I was appointed as Deputy Governor of Energy, and along with my colleague the Governor of Energy, we hope to establish a public education and awareness campaign to aid T&T in the transition to a more sustainable future.
Lastly, there’s eNRgyTT, my personal blog. This is an ongoing project for me since I try my best to always put out content despite how busy or caught up I might be. The primary aim of the blog was to share the knowledge I was fortunate to gain, with my fellow countrymen. We have a fossil fuel based economy and I felt like people did not know much other than “We have oil and gas”. The energy sector affects the country significantly, not just economically, but socially as well. I felt like people needed to know and fully understand the sector in the simplest of ways....no technical jargon, no in depth statistics....just plain and simple. Due to that, in 2017, eNRgyTT was born. I was astounded by the response I received. Never in my wildest dreams did I think people, especially the youth, would be this interested in something as “boring” as energy.
What are some of your treasured milestones thus far?
Upon starting my blog and using social media platforms to share knowledge, the feedback was amazing. I feel like everything that has happened to me since, has been a milestone to be quite honest. From being asked to participate in post-budget panels on local television stations, to writing energy articles for an online news outlet. One thing that stands out the most is being asked to moderate and speak on two panels earlier this year at RECAM 2019 in Panama City, Panama. Upon receiving the request in an email, I was truly blown away. Also this year, I presented at the 3rd Biennial Oil and Gas Law Conference right here in Trinidad. I cannot describe the feeling I get when people I look up to and idolise, recognise my work.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome and how did you deal with it?
A defining period in my life would be the period in which I was unemployed. That space of time was one which I can only describe as frustrating and hopeless. I understood that the economy was on a downturn and there was a shortage in jobs, especially for a recent graduate, but it was still disheartening. Why I chose to describe this as defining, instead of a challenge, is because of the fact that if I wasn’t placed in this situation, I would have never pushed myself to where I am now. There would be no eNRgyTT. There would be no eNRgy Bae. I’d simply be Neisha Ramdass, *insert random job title here*. During this time, upon realising how competitive the job market truly is, I had to reflect and think about what makes me different. One day, it hit me and I said to myself, “You know what Neisha...you don’t have a job? Make your own job. Make your own path. Create your own market.” Today I am now:
Neisha Ramdass, BSc. MBA (Candidate)
Energy Analyst, Energy Writer,
Energy Blogger, eNRgy Bae.
What advice would you give to other women who may want to take on the same path that you have?
This is honestly a tough one since I believe everyone’s path is different. What I can say however, is once you believe that this is what you want out of life, and this is where you want to be....push! Push and keep pushing. We aren’t entitled to success; no one owes us our dream. We need to make it happen. Make your own path if you don’t see one in front of you. Be bold. Be brave. Be bigger than yourself. Shake the table. Push boundaries. Defy the odds. Serve your country. Always give back. Don’t let anyone make you feel smaller than who or what you are. Do not let anyone define you or box you in. Do not let anyone tell you what you should do with your life. Put God at the centre of your plans. Work, work hard and work some more....your sacrifices will pay off. Never compare yourself to anyone. You are your own person and you have your own story. Believe in yourself and most importantly, as cliché as this sounds, always be you.