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Home Safety and Training

Driving the future workforce

by Sarah MacNamara
May 27, 2025
in Electricity, Features, Hydro Power, Projects, Renewable Energy, Safety and Training, Sustainability
Reading Time: 7 mins read
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Hydro Tasmania is powering the state's future energy workforce

Participants from Workskills Tasmania attended a two-day workshop at Edgar Dam. Images: Hydro Tasmania

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From education programs to apprenticeships and a graduate program, Hydro Tasmania is building the workforce it needs to power the state into the future.

On a crisp autumn day at Strathgordon in the south-west of Tasmania, a group of young people are walking across the top of Edgar Dam, one of the walls that holds back Australia’s largest water storage.

It rains more than half the year here, but today the sun is shining for the second day of the Edgar Dam Work Exposure Program, a collaboration between Hydro Tasmania and Workskills Tasmania that aims to introduce young people to careers in the hydropower industry.

It’s a career path many in the group haven’t considered before, including 18-year-old Sophie Sproule, who said the program had sparked her interest in a future as a maintenance assistant.

“It’s opened my mind a lot because you don’t realise how many jobs there actually are within the one industry,” she said. “I would like to try out a maintenance assistant role. I think there are lots of different opportunities within that.”

The Edgar Dam Work Exposure Program introduced participants to different jobs on a live work site.

Throughout the program, nine young people aged 17–25 had the opportunity to tour a power station, participate in speed careering and shadow staff members at the Edgar Dam Upgrade works.

With proposals for major renewables projects like the redevelopment of the Tarraleah hydropower scheme and pumped hydro at Lake Cethana underway, the program is just one of the ways Hydro Tasmania is working to ensure it has the workforce it needs to help meet future energy demand.

Hydro Tasmania Project Manager Oliver Giudici said the workshop focuses on introducing participants to different roles within the business.

“It’s not every day you get an up-close look at an infrastructure project of this size, or the chance to explore a power station,” Giudici said.

“This program is designed to provide young people with insights into a range of trades and professional roles and give them the confidence to try something new.”

Breaking down barriers

The obstacles to entering the renewable energy sector emerge early in life.

With entrance to many energy-related university degrees requiring prerequisite subjects for maths and science, Hydro Tasmania said an important part of the solution is ensuring students have options when applying to university.

The utility took a critical step in encouraging science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies with the 2017 launch of its education program Generation Hydro.

Generation Hydro runs free activities for primary and secondary school students, including school visits, power station tours and hands-on interactive tasks that get young people excited about STEM.

The program is focused on increasing awareness of STEM industries facing skills shortages and encouraging students to study STEM throughout school and into their careers.

Hydro Tasmania is also taking steps to tap into an important talent pool that has historically been left out of STEM industries – women.

High school students attended the Girls in Power program at Hydro Tasmania’s Cambridge Workshop

One of Generation Hydro’s activities is Girls in Power, a workshop series that aims to engage young women in grades nine and 10 in fun and inspiring STEM activities and experiences.

Girls make up only one quarter of year 12 enrolments in information technology, physics and engineering subjects, according to the Federal Government’s STEM Equity Monitor.

Hydro Tasmania Manager of Engagement Programs Sarah Metcalf said the Girls in Power program aims to introduce young women to the possibility of a career in STEM.

“Women are still underrepresented in STEM industries, including the renewable energy sector. We want to encourage more young women to take up STEM subjects in years 11 and 12 and consider careers in our industry when they graduate,” she said.

“We need young women to feel they belong and can achieve great things in our sector. One way we can do this is to introduce them to STEM subjects from a young age and encourage them to follow these pathways at university.”

Attracting and retaining staff

Hydro Tasmania runs an annual graduate program to help university students get their foot in the door, with each participant guaranteed a job at the end of their two- or three-year program.

Participants are exposed to different areas of the business through six-month rotations before settling into one.

The program offers a wide range of career options for graduates, with positions in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, business, information technology, commercial, environmental science, legal and accounting.

Hydro Tasmania Executive General Manager of People and Corporate Affairs, Ruth Groom, said the program was the first step for many graduates in a long and rewarding career.

“Our graduate culture is collaborative and hands-on and the program gives graduates the chance to learn about the possibilities that await them with a career at Hydro Tasmania,” Groom said.

“Many of our senior leaders started their rewarding careers in the graduate program.”

Mechanical Engineer Zali Steiner started her career in Hydro Tasmania’s graduate program.

Mechanical Engineer Zali Steiner recently completed the graduate program, and she said it gave her the opportunity to explore different areas of the sector and the diverse roles engineers play.

“From strategy and risk to hands-on maintenance, I gained valuable problem-solving skills while working with cutting-edge and historic machinery that powers communities across the state,” Steiner said.

“The best part has been the variety of work, incredible locations, and collaborating with passionate, skilled people every day.”

Graduate Environmental Analyst Annalise Ball said the graduate program had a great balance of field and office work, and provided access to expert mentors and professional development opportunities.

“Two years in, I feel confident and ready to step into a permanent role with hands-on experience and a diverse skill set,” Ball said.

Importance of trades

Hydro Tasmania said its power stations couldn’t run without its maintenance assistants and mechanical and electrical fitters, and there are exciting career pathways for people who take on these positions.

In addition to the utility’s graduate program, Hydro Tasmania offers maintenance assistance traineeships and apprenticeships for mechanical and electrical fitters.

On King Island and Flinders Island, which are not connected to a mainland electricity supply, the apprenticeship program extends to diesel mechanics and lineworkers.

During a four-year apprenticeship, apprentices work side-by-side with experienced tradespeople across Tasmania on routine maintenance and large-scale projects at power stations.

The utility also covers the cost of each apprentice’s TAFE course and tuition fees.

Hydro Tasmania supports its tradespeople to develop their career with the utility and many people who started as an apprentice have gone on to become power station operators.

King Island Production Supervisor Jeramy Whitehouse-Summers has grown his career with Hydro Tasmania

Production Supervisor Jeramy Whitehouse-Summers started his career with Hydro Tasmania as a lineworker and electrical apprentice before working his way up to power station operator and then to his current role, where he manages a team of 13 employees on King Island.

“Hydro Tasmania has really supported and encouraged me throughout my career,” Whitehouse‑Summers said.

“When I started my linesworker apprenticeship with Hydro Tasmania, I never expected I’d one day be working as a production supervisor and managing a team.

“I’ve grown up on King Island and have a great sense of community pride,” he said.

“Supplying power to the community is a great passion of mine, as it is for the rest of the team.”

For more information on careers and pathways with Hydro Tasmania, visit hydro.com.au/education/secondary/career-pathway-options

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