Central and South Taranaki school students connected with career ideas

Secondary school students from Stratford High School and Te Paepae o Aotea, pictured with site staff and representatives from Contact Energy and Connexis, visited Stratford Power Station on Thursday, June 20. Photo / Alyssa Smith

A trip to the Stratford Power Station has connected Taranaki secondary school students with career opportunities.

The visit, part of the Girls with Hi-Vis programme, gave the students an inside look at the power station, touring the site and even trying their hand at some soldering, creating fan-operated phone chargers and using model building kits to create working model cars and lights.

About 20 students from Stratford High School and Te Paepae o Aotea in Hāwera visited Stratford Power Station. The visit was a partnership between Stratford Power Station operators Contact Energy and Connexis, the infrastructure training company that created Girls with Hi-Vis.

Girls with Hi-Vis is run annually through May and June with secondary school students visiting and learning more about the career opportunities available in the civil infrastructure, electrical supply and water industries.

Connexis executive director Kaarin Gaukrodger said Girls with Hi-Vis events helped students build relationships with infrastructure employers and allowed businesses to connect with the next generation of workers.

“Girls with Hi-Vis opens students’ minds to the possibility of a career in infrastructure, to be involved in large-scale projects, working on major infrastructure assets, operating big machinery and developing technical solutions.

“It provides those young women the opportunity to be part of building new infrastructure and future-proofing current infrastructure through vital day-to-day maintenance and repairs that directly benefit their whānau and local community and keeps all New Zealanders connected, healthy and moving.”

Te Paepae o Aotea student Jyne’e McGrath, 17, hopes to become an engineer and said the visit was insightful.

“I have work experience at Crouch and Crowder in Hāwera once a week. I loved visiting the Stratford Power Station. I like learning about how it all works and seeing behind the scenes. It’s a good experience and I recommend other students sign up for this. You learn so much.”

One of the participants was Stratford High School student Paige Boulton, 15, who said she had always been interested in trade jobs.

“Every opportunity there is to get out there and learn, I take it and I think other females should too. Sign up and give it a go, you’re not losing anything, all you’re doing is gaining knowledge and a possible career option.”

Stratford High School student Paige Boulton, 15, and Contact Energy electrician Yogesh Dharmappa work to solder two pieces together. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Site manager Rob Nichol said the Girls with Hi-Vis initiative was fantastic.

“It’s great that we’re encouraging more females into the industry. There’s no job here that they can’t do. What Connexis is doing is fantastic. They’re getting more females involved with the industry by introducing them to it.”

He said staff were thrilled when they heard about the visit.

“They were all over the moon to do this and introduce what we do to this group of young women.”

Contact Energy early career lead Caleb Jasmart said it was important to provide opportunities.

“Girls with Hi-Vis does just that. It’s showing that going to university, getting a degree and then a job isn’t the only pathway but entering a trade, starting your career and earning while you learn is also an option. Contact Energy and Connexis are great at showcasing opportunities and offering support through training and upskilling.”

He said diversifying the industry was important.

“It’s fair to say the industry is male-dominated and ageing. We have some females in the business and they love it. We want to get more diversity here, not only for women but Māori and Pasifika as well.”