Cameron Thorp: Small Company, Big Responsibility: Building Credibility Early in Engineering | Energy Sector Heroes

If you’re early in your career or you’ve moved faster than you expected into responsibility this episode is for you. Many people in the energy sector worry about whether they’re “ready enough”, whether they’ve moved too quickly, or whether choosing a smaller company might limit future options. These questions matter because the early decisions you make often shape confidence, capability, and long term direction more than job titles ever will.In this episode of Energy Sector Heroes, I’m joined by Cameron Thorp, Engineering Manager at Subsea Pressure Controls. Cameron shares what it’s really like stepping into a senior role at a young age, managing people with more experience than you, and building credibility without decades on your CV. We talk honestly about imposter syndrome, chartership, mentoring, interviews, and why being proactive often matters more than ticking every requirement box.This is a grounded conversation about learning by doing, making deliberate career moves, and backing yourself even when it feels uncomfortable.Key Takeaways You Can Act On🔧 Choose environments that stretch you, not just impress on paper Smaller companies can offer broader responsibility, faster learning, and earlier exposure to decision making. If you want range and ownership early on, look at where you’ll actually get hands on experience.🧭 Use structure to offset limited experience Chartership, mentoring, and clear development goals help build credibility when you don’t yet have years behind you. Seek external support if your company doesn’t offer it professional institutions can fill that gap.📞 Don’t self reject before a conversation If a role looks interesting but you don’t meet every requirement, pick up the phone. An informal conversation can change how a role is scoped and how you’re assessed before your CV is even reviewed.