Alumni Spotlight: Victoria Ibrahim

Victoria Ibrahim has an impressive range of clean energy experience, from overseeing installations of solar projects and leading large teams to developing business opportunities in the energy sector. In the early 2020s, she recognized that returning to university to pursue a master’s degree could enable her to have an even greater impact and contribute to a more sustainable and greener future.

UBC’s Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy Engineering was the program Victoria was looking for because it combined her passion for clean energy with a strong foundation in business leadership.

Gaining tangible experience

Victoria made full use of her 12 months in the program, taking advantage of as many opportunities as she could to gain new experience and grow her professional network. She was accepted into the competitive Sustainability Scholars Program, where she worked with the Community Clean Energy Branch of the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation to identify clean energy capacity building opportunities in remote communities in BC.

As she stated in an article focusing on her experience as a student, in her position as a Sustainability Scholar she conducted a literature review, interviewed 13 industry professionals, and spoke with representatives of seven First Nations communities.

“This enabled me to identify gaps and opportunities, which I then used as the basis for my recommendations,” she says. “Building capacity means a lot of things in addition to education and training. It encompasses everything from the generation side to the demand side, and there are many opportunities to make a difference and help communities reach their carbon reduction targets.”

For her capstone project, she worked with WSP on a project to support the decarbonization of the transportation sector that involved developing a framework for sustainable transportation, focusing on hydrogen and battery electric vehicles.

Building a career in Canada

There’s a reason almost every article you read about searching for a job emphasizes the importance of growing your professional network: it works. Victoria and her fellow MEL students were part of a WhatsApp group where they shared information about job opportunities, which is where Victoria learned of a position at BC Hydro.

After completing the MEL at the end of 2023, Victoria began working with BC Hydro as a project manager for electric vehicle site development. She says that many of her experiences in the MEL contributed to her success in getting the position, from the work she did in her capstone project to some of the project-related work she completed in other courses.

Her responsibilities at BC Hydro included liaising with municipalities and reviewing potential EV charging station locations to see if they were suitable for EV infrastructure from both a technical perspective and in terms of user experience.  

In November 2024, Victoria launched Verdure Global Energy Solutions, a company that develops and implements energy-efficient technologies and sustainability solutions for municipalities and other sectors. The company’s primary mission is to research, develop and commercialize scalable solutions that can drive energy transition efforts.

Shortly after launch, the company partnered with a progressive municipality on Vancouver Island, known for its commitment to sustainability and innovative climate initiatives, to develop and implement climate action services and strategies. As a Climate Action Specialist, Victoria contributes her expertise to support and advance the municipality’s sustainability objectives.

This isn’t her first time running the show: Victoria launched several other businesses in Nigeria – including a fashion company and a fintech company – before moving to Canada. She’s excited about this new venture and the opportunities that come with it.

“While I know first-hand that it is not always easy to be a self-employed entrepreneur, there are so many opportunities for personal and professional growth,” she says. “I’ve also been reaching out to people in my network about opportunities to collaborate on other potential projects.”

The considerable professional experience Victoria built up before doing the MEL is certainly helping her succeed in her new leadership role, as are the business and leadership courses that make up about half the MEL curriculum.

“The concepts we explored in Justin Bull’s course on strategy are so important when you are working as consultant and exploring options to respond to complex challenges,” she says. “And the summer boot camp, with its focus on accounting and finance, is also very helpful for running your own business as well as when you are advising clients.”