What does a career in sustainability actually look like after graduation? Asfand Yar Khan, a 2021 graduate of the Master’s in Renewable Energy at InnoEnergy Masters+, shares how he went from mechanical engineering in Hong Kong to lifecycle assessment at Holcim — one of the world’s largest construction materials companies — and what he wishes he had known before he started.
Choosing a Programme That Matched an Evolving Market
Asfand did not come from a sustainability background. He trained as a mechanical engineer, spent years working in the building sector, and noticed a shift happening around 2015 — the Paris Agreement, green building requirements, and a growing demand for professionals who understood both energy systems and environmental impact.
“I realised the market was evolving and I needed to align myself with it,” he explains. “So I started looking for Master’s programmes all across the world.”
What drew him to InnoEnergy Masters+ was not just the curriculum — it was the structure. Unlike traditional programmes that focused on a single technology or discipline, InnoEnergy Masters+ offered breadth across renewable technologies, business and entrepreneurship through ESADE, and the flexibility to tailor the journey along the way.
“There was no programme which had all of these aspects together. InnoEnergy was the only one which offered me exposure to each of these elements across different universities and a business school.”
The Power of Studying in Two Countries
Asfand spent his first year at École Polytechnique in Paris — a deliberate choice driven by the university’s technical rigour and its symbolic connection to the Paris Agreement. His second year took him to KTH Royal Institute of Technolgy in Sweden, where the focus shifted to group projects solving real problems for real Swedish companies.
“France gave me the technical foundation. Sweden gave me the experience of working on actual problems with actual companies. That combination is what prepared me for the professional world.”
Looking back, he believes the country choices shaped his career more directly than he expected. When he later searched for jobs across Europe, his familiarity with France — its ecosystem, its industry, its approach to green technology — made returning there an easy decision.
“Having lived in France in my first year gave me a benchmark. I knew the market, I knew the energy ecosystem, and I knew it was supportive of environmental impact assessment and sustainability. So when I found my role at Holcim, going back to France felt right.”
You Don’t Need to Have It All Planned
One of the most honest parts of Asfand’s story is how unplanned his specialisation was. He had no idea what lifecycle assessment was when he started the programme. He stumbled across it through a thesis opportunity offered by a professor — and only because COVID had disrupted traditional internship routes.
“I always look at it like pixels coming together to form the big picture as you go along. You never know the full picture from the beginning.”
His advice to prospective students is direct: choose a strong foundation, stay curious, and stay open. The programme’s flexibility is not a weakness — it is one of its greatest strengths.
The Job Search: What It Really Looks Like
Asfand is candid about the transition from student to professional. It was not immediate, and it was not straightforward.
After graduating with two theses on lifecycle assessment, which gave him a significant advantage, he spent nine months as a freelancer working with a sustainability startup in Germany. He used that time to build his network, sharpen his focus, and understand where his skills were most needed.
“Being specific made it easy to get through the door. If you have specific skills and you apply to a position that needs those skills, you stand out.”
Networking, he says, was just as important as technical ability.
“You can be at a university and study hard, but to be noticed in the job market, you need a strong network of people who recognise you as a professional ready to contribute. I networked heavily — LinkedIn, events, alumni connections, everything.”
What He Does Today
Asfand now works as a Lifecycle Assessment and Environmental Product Declaration engineer at Holcim, analysing the environmental impact of construction materials including cement and concrete. It is technical, data-driven work at the intersection of engineering and sustainability — exactly the combination he was looking for when he started his Master’s.
“My role is to measure the environmental impact of our products so that we have the documentation needed for the European market and to communicate accurately about what we produce.”
It is also, he notes, a field that is becoming increasingly important. What was once voluntary — environmental impact assessment — is rapidly becoming a regulatory requirement across European industries.
“If you can identify five years ahead what is going to be important, you position yourself well. Lifecycle assessment was voluntary when I discovered it in 2019. Now it is becoming legislation.”
What He Would Tell His Earlier Self
If Asfand could go back to 2019 and speak to himself before starting the programme, his advice would be simple:
“You do not need to plan everything. Take the first step. Be curious. Network constantly. And look for opportunities beyond the courses — the Green Seed Journey, university competitions, alumni mentoring — these are where the real growth happens.”
He is now giving back to the community that shaped him, offering mentoring to current InnoEnergy Masters+ students through the alumni network.
Asfand’s full episode is available on InnoStation, the InnoEnergy Masters+ podcast. Listen to hear more about his journey, his work in lifecycle assessment, and his advice for navigating the job market as an international graduate in Europe.
If you would like to connect with Asfand or reach out for mentoring, find him on LinkedIn or through the InnoEnergy community platform.
