Cohort 1 students recently took part in an immersive residential at the University of Sheffield, where they gained first-hand experience of working within a world-leading, industrially focused research environment at the Energy Innovation Centre. As a unique national pilot-scale facility, the centre provided students with the opportunity to engage directly with state-of-the-art equipment and explore innovative approaches to sustainable energy systems alongside expert academics and industry professionals. Throughout the module, students participated in a combination of interactive health and safety training, technical workshops, and hands-on experimental design across a range of large-scale facilities. Activities explored key areas such as low-carbon energy generation, sustainable fuel sources, carbon capture technologies, energy efficiency, and power plant simulation. The residential also included comprehensive facility tours and practical sessions that enabled students to design, conduct, and analyse industrial-scale experiments. By the end of the experience, students had developed a strong understanding of both the technical and operational challenges of scaling up energy solutions, as well as the critical importance of rigorous health and safety practices in industrial research environments.