Top reasons to join Transgrid's Graduate Program

This article was originally published by current 2024 Transgrid Graduate, Kara Ackerman on Prosple.

1. Award winning Graduate Program 

Join our award-winning Graduate Program and be part of a company recognised for its excellence. We are proud to be Prosple Australia’s #1 Graduate Employer in Energy and Utilities, ranked in the Prosple Top 100 Employers, and honoured as the AAGE Top Graduate Employer, securing 1st place in the Energy industry and 2nd place across all industries in the medium intake size. 

Our two-year development program offers four rotations in your chosen area, providing you with diverse experiences and comprehensive training. This structured approach ensures you gain valuable skills and insights, setting a strong foundation for your career. Be part of a program that not only values your growth but is also celebrated for its outstanding commitment to developing future leaders.

2. Financial benefits!

Enhance your daily life with our exclusive discounts and perks, designed to make every day a little brighter and more rewarding. As part of our team, you’ll enjoy a generous 15.5% superannuation contribution for employees covered by the Enterprise Agreement, ensuring a secure financial future. Our weekly payroll system provides timely and consistent pay, giving you peace of mind. For graduates, Transgrid has a starting salary package of $94,888.79 (inclusive of superannuation).

Take advantage of retail and cashback discounts through our Wellbeing Gateway, offering savings on a wide range of products and services.

Additionally, our “Refer and Earn” program rewards you for successfully referring candidates to join our company, adding an extra incentive to share your positive experiences with others.

You can also stay active and healthy with our Fitness Passport, a corporate health and fitness program that grants you access to a variety of health and fitness suppliers, including gyms and pools, all for a single low membership fee. Additionally, we offer salary sacrifice options for superannuation and motor vehicles, allowing you to maximize your benefits and manage your finances effectively.

3. An Inclusive and Flexible Working Environment

Transgrid’s Graduate Program is all about creating a supportive and friendly workplace for you to start your career in your chosen area. You’ll be surrounded by experienced mentors and enthusiastic peers who are always ready to help you out. Colleagues openly welcome questions and insights, so you can easily get guidance whenever you need it. It’s a great opportunity to learn and grow.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diverse thinking and ideas are valued, where all employees feel a sense of belonging, and where all are inspired to do their best each day. This is reflected in endorsements and awards including:

• Work180 endorsement as an employer that supports diversity, inclusion and equality, particularly for women.
• Family inclusive workplace certified through UNICEF Australia and Parents at Work Family Friendly Workplaces framework.
• Sliver and bronze employer with Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) for a safe and inclusive workplace for LGBTQI+ people
• Bronze member of the Australian Disability Network
• Clean Energy Council Awards 2024 finalist for the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Award. 

Visit our Diversity and Inclusion page if you want to find out more about these diversity and inclusion certifications and endorsements.

Additionally, Transgrid has employee-led networks which you can join to work towards achieving an inclusive, supportive and safe workplace for all. These networks include:

• Energise: a network that aims to support women at Transgrid by promoting gender equality in our workplace.
• Rise Allies: a network established to openly support LGBTQI+ inclusion in all aspects of the workplace.
• Yarn Up: a closed network for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees that provides a culturally safe place to connect, support one another and have a yarn.

Our flexibility procedures are designed to support your personal and professional growth, ensuring you can thrive in all aspects of your life. Here’s how we make flexibility a cornerstone of our work culture:

• Hybrid Working: Enjoy the best of both worlds with the ability to balance office and remote work. This approach allows you to stay connected with your team while also enjoying the comfort and convenience of working from home.
• Flexible Working Arrangements: We understand that everyone’s needs are different. Our flexible working arrangements are designed to accommodate your unique personal and professional requirements, giving you the freedom to create a schedule that works best for you.
• Flexible Public Holidays: Our flexible public holidays procedure allows you to swap a selected public holiday for another day within the same calendar year. This means you can celebrate the days that are most meaningful to you.
• Personal Leave: We offer personal leave for various personal matters such as moving house, providing family care, or celebrating NAIDOC Week. This ensures you have the time you need to manage important life events without added stress.
• Nine-Day Fortnight: For employees covered by the Enterprise Agreement, we offer a nine-day fortnight, providing more frequent extended weekends. This extra time off can be used to recharge, pursue personal interests, or spend time with loved ones.

Your health and personal growth are a priority at Transgrid, and is maintained with comprehensive wellness initiatives, designed to foster a positive lifestyle and enhance your overall well-being. Our program offers:

• Support from the WorkMates peer support program, a network of trained colleagues ready to assist with mental health concerns.
• Flexible sick leave for various circumstances, including mental health, chronic illness, disability, and reproductive health.
• Emergency/crisis leave and 15 days of domestic and family violence leave.
• Leave for gender affirmation, blood/bone marrow donation, and community service.
• Regular flu shots, health, and skin checks.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a free confidential counselling service for you and your immediate family.

4. An exciting time to join the thriving energy industry

Joining the energy industry in a time of growth is exciting as the work you will be involved in is fulfilling and purposeful. You have the opportunity to contribute to the once-in-a-lifetime shift in the energy industry as we head towards a more sustainable future with renewable energy sources. This growth means that you can visualise your career progression and see the different directions you can go within the industry. This job security is reassuring as you find your feet in your career.

See what some of our 2024 Graduates have to say about why this is an exciting time to join the energy industry:

Jordan Wilton: "I would say it is an exciting time to join the industry to see these new technologies being implemented into the grid, and being on the ground in construction is great way to learn about them and see some of the challenges firsthand."

Aqdas Naeem: "I believe the experience gained on site is where true growth happens, and it's what turns visions into reality. Some of the things that stood out for me, were the phase shifting transformers (PSTs) which are used to manage the power flows through the interconnector and the synchronous condensers that will provide the inertia and grid stability to the future grid."

Aqdas Naeem (right) on-site at Transgrid's Lockhart campsite with his mentor David Elliot (left)

To find out more about why you should join the energy industry, read this article.

5. Great graduate network and connections

Networking is key to career growth, and our program offers an extensive graduate network. This network begins before your first day, with the opportunity to meet your buddy, a current graduate, before you even start. This buddy relationship will continue into your graduate program!

Graduates are also matched up with a mentor in their second rotation based on their professional goals which allows for growth and learning throughout the program.

Omer Rizwan, Cost Estimator at Transgrid and mentor to Graduate Benny Li, shares some insight into his approach to mentorship: “I’m committed to creating an open and supportive environment for Benny, where he’ll feel comfortable sharing his ideas and asking questions that will help him enhance his interpersonal and communication skills.”

Image of mentor Omer Rizwan (left) with his mentee Benny Li (right)

All graduates connect and create a sense of community and belonging during the program, with past and current cohorts regularly catching up in the lunchroom! You will be joining with around 40 other graduates who are eager and excited to chat. You can also connect with graduates in their second year and alumni who have successfully moved into various roles at Transgrid. These connections can provide valuable insights into possible areas of interest for the next stage of your career.

Conclusion

Joining our graduate program means becoming part of a community that values your growth, well-being, and success. With an awesome working environment, the benefit of a 9-day fortnight, a great reward and recognition system, and a robust graduate network, you’ll be well-equipped to launch a fulfilling and successful career.

Interested in becoming a graduate at Transgrid?

Learn more about Transgrid's Graduate Program

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