What’s your job about?

I work for Energy Queensland, which is Australia’s largest, wholly government-owned electricity company. We safely supply electricity to Queensland through the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the “poles and wires” infrastructure. 

The Energy Queensland three-year graduate program offers graduates the opportunity to rotate through different areas of the business every six months. I am currently in my second rotation, working with the Isolated Networks team in Cairns. This team is responsible for supplying power to remote communities that are too far from the National Electricity Grid, including those in the Torres Strait Islands, Cape York Peninsula, and the far southwest of the state. The team’s primary focus is asset management. For example, they will monitor the maintenance schedule, efficiency and run hours of a diesel generator to optimise performance and maintenance and plan its replacement when the system reaches end of life.

In my rotation, I balance business-as-usual tasks and emerging work delivering new technology. For example, I am currently working on a smart dashboard to monitor renewable energy and battery storage assets which are currently under construction in Boulia, Doomadgee and Windorah. On a very different tangent, I’ll soon be heading to Thursday Island to spend time with the field crews. This will give me firsthand experience of how remote conditions impact operations and provide valuable insight into how engineering decisions made in the office translate to on-site work.

What’s your background? 

I grew up in Cairns in Far North Queensland and always had a passion for maths and science. I was particularly interested in aerospace engineering, but with no study options available locally and uncertainty around the cost of moving to a capital city, I didn’t pursue it further at the time. 

In high school, I unintentionally enrolled in a computer programming elective, discovering a passion for programming and wanted to make a career out of it. I decided to study at JCU in Cairns as they offered an engineering major in Electronic Systems and Internet of Things, the blend of programming and engineering I was looking for. 

At the end of my third year, I completed an internship with Energy Queensland’s New Technology team in Cairns, where I gained valuable insight into industrial IoT applications.  I was then hired as a casual student engineer for Energy Queensland’s Fringe of Grid team in Cairns for the final years of my degree. After working at my local Woolworths for the past six years, it was exciting to work in a role relevant to my career ambitions.

I was then fortunate to be offered a position in Energy Queensland’s graduate program in Cairns. Before starting, I decided to go solo backpacking through Europe for a few months, and Energy Queensland were very supportive of this decision. This experience helped me grow personally and gain life skills, which I’ve since carried into my professional life.  

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Queensland has strict regulations regarding professional engineering services, requiring a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) to work as a graduate engineer. Of course, knowledge in electricity is also essential, but how you acquire this can vary. Some go straight from high school to university, others have a career swap later in life, and some begin as tradespersons before transitioning into engineering. Success in my role heavily depends on qualities such as an eagerness to learn, a focus for safety, openness to feedback and adaptability to new roles. 

What is the coolest thing about your job?

Something I love about my job is the opportunity to work with cutting edge technology. Cairns has become a new technology hub for Energy Queensland, being home to the Microgrid and Isolated Systems Test Facility (MIST). I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the testing of new devices and systems in the MIST.

These technologies are often used for regional and remote customers who are typically overlooked, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to my work as we deliver innovative technologies to these customers.

What are the limitations of your job?

The Energy Queensland graduate program offers exceptionally diverse opportunities for all graduates, giving exposure to many different teams in the business. For this reason, I have found it tough to choose only six rotations for my three-year program! Additionally, the rotational placements can be a double-edged sword. It’s a great opportunity to get exposure to a multitude of teams in multiple locations, but this does mean I’m learning a new role every six months.  I use this constant change as an opportunity to work on my adaptability in the workplace to adjust to new roles quickly and effectively.  

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

1. Learn for the purpose of deeper understanding. At times during university, I was focused on memorising processes just to pass an exam. Grasping the underlying concept will make you a well rounded engineer. 
2. Focus on developing a strong community and support network. These people will help you in all aspects of life when you need it most. Everyone needs support at some point in their journey.  
3. Study isn’t everything. In the famous words of Ferris Bueller “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.