But what he hadn’t considered before starting with the company’s Taumarunui depot is that for a line mechanic, ‘outside’ can mean being up in the hills, in a helicopter, or up a pole in the middle of the bush.

“I hadn’t thought about some of the places you work in,” says Wiremu. “You only really see the power lines on the side of the road or going into houses. You don’t tend to think about the ones that run a few kilometres into the hills.”

It all adds up to a job Wiremu loves.

His passion has translated into recognition, and in 2021 he was named Distribution Trainee of the Year at the Connexis Industry Excellence Awards. The awards honour the best and brightest trainees in the energy and telecommunications sectors, as well as those who support them.

In fact, Wiremu is no stranger to working outside. Not even the heights involved in his work phase him. For several years, he worked as a scaffolder in Australia.

When he decided to move home with his family to Taumarunui, where he grew up, Wiremu wanted a job that would let him spend more time with his family.

“When I was scaffolding in Australia, I’d be away for six weeks and then home for seven nights. Now I can spend a lot more time with the family, and be home every night,” he says.

Being a line mechanic has had benefits for Wiremu beyond that too, enabling him to work towards a qualification and be recognised for his skills. He is currently working towards the New Zealand Certificate in Electricity Supply (Line Mechanic Distribution) Level 4 through a Connexis-developed programme.

The other aspect of his job that Wiremu loves is the camaraderie that comes from working with a crew of guys he knows well. There are four people in his crew; three who are qualified and Wiremu, who is still working towards his apprenticeship. He says they all look out for each other when they’re on the job.

“It’s not enough for just my two eyes to be looking out for me. If there’re four of you on a crew, that’s another three sets of eyes that’s looking out for you.”

Being a trainee means Wiremu learns a lot from both from the guys in his crew and the wider team back at the depot. He sees the value in learning from the experience, knowledge and skills of those around him. His advice to other trainees is to “take it all in”.

“Listen to everything people are saying and have the courage to ask questions if you don’t understand something.”

Outside of work, Wiremu spends his time fishing and hunting, and taking on his workmates at golf.

The post ‘Working outside’ takes on new meaning for line mechanic trainee appeared first on Connexis | Infrastructure Training.

She was also one of the first to get qualified with her NZ Certificate in Electricity Supply (Cable Jointing High Voltage) under the Ultimit – Women in Infrastructure initiative; launched by Connexis in 2011 to encourage women into the Electricity Supply Industry (ESI).

Nine years down the track, Robyn, now based in Auckland, is still working in the ESI and still with Northpower. She has recently taken a “step up” in her career, becoming a Design Estimator for larger projects including subdivisions.

Her entry into the sector was as a trainee “linesman” in Dargaville, when she saw a job advertised in the Northern Advocate, specifically requesting that women apply. Having struggled to find work in Northland despite having an IT degree, she decided to apply after a nudge from her dad.

“IT seemed pretty saturated at the time. You don’t have that issue in this industry.”

Her father was the one who finally convinced her, reassuring her that she could always leave if she was not enjoying it.

Instead, she found her passion. Not high above the ground on the overhead powerlines, but as a cable jointer, responsible for maintaining underground cables.

“I thought there were more opportunities in cable jointing, plus I was scared of heights and I just never got over that,” Robyn says.

“I prefer to have my feet on the ground.”

Female cable jointers are still quite rare but Robyn says she has never had issues with any of the men she works with.

“They treat you just the same; you’re just one of them. They call me ‘sis’.

“I think it helps that I just treat everyone the same. And I’ve never had a problem getting covered in dirt on the job or stuck in.”

Robyn says it can be funny confounding people’s gender expectations. She tells a story about working on a roadside transformer box.

“When I stepped out this drunk lady said: ‘Holy shit, you’re a woman! Good on you girl.’.”

All the same, Robyn says it does help knowing other women in the field who can provide support and she can have a “bitch and a cry” with. She says those women have become amazing friends.

These days, estimating pricing for larger connection projects, Robyn splits her time 80:20 between being in the office and out in the field. Though she has been in the ESI for several years now, she says there are still barriers to women entering the trades.

“It does need a bit of shake-up. Women are more than capable but…they go to uni instead because they haven’t even heard about trades,” she says.

That is a shame she says, because many of the men she has worked with see the benefits of having more women on the job.

“They say they’re nicer to work with, more detailed and less messy on the job, and they balance out a crew,” she says.

Robyn would love to see more women enter the industry going forward.

“The wages are good. You just have to be able to laugh at yourself and don’t take things too seriously. And you have to be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up.”

The post Paving the way for women in power appeared first on Connexis | Infrastructure Training.

Planning a career switch from the farming industry, Madison commenced an application for beauty therapy training. So, becoming a line mechanic might seem like a big leap, but Madison Harvey has never looked back.

Now aged 22, Madison is a qualified line mechanic with Electra, based in Horowhenua. When she left school, she was working as a Farm Manager. Her career took a left turn when she was accepted for enrolment in a beauty therapy course, having already gained a ticket in eyelash extensions. However, a conversation with a friend who was a line mechanic with Electra took her off course yet again.

“He was just talking about what he did for his job, and I was quite intrigued. Thinking ‘I could get into that’”, says Madison. A job opening came up, Madison applied, and the rest is history.

Madison has now been with Electra for four years and has been a qualified line mechanic for over a year, having completed her NZ Certificate in Electricity Supply (Line Mechanic Distribution) Level 4.

Electra is New Zealand’s ninth largest lines company, covering the Kāpiti-Horowhenua region. It is this year’s host sponsor of Annual Connection, the three-day celebration of the Electricity Supply Industry run by Connexis.

Being the only female line mechanic at the company had some challenges initially, from what to do when you need to go to the toilet onsite, to building up her physical strength. But, she says, all along the way her male co-workers were supportive and encouraging.

“You are a bit shy when you start, so it would have been nice to have had another woman there to ask about some things, but in the end, you work it out for yourself,” she says.

When it came to building up her physical strength Madison credits her crew with letting her pace herself and helping her build her confidence.

“If I was initially finding something hard, they would really encourage me, telling me I was nearly there and to keep going. There was no-one being impatient or telling me to hurry up.

“I grew up farming, so I was pretty ‘farm fit’ but you still have to really do the job to get ‘job fit’. It only took me a month or two to build up the correct strength and fitness for this job”, she says.

“The first time I went up the pole I actually pulled up a cross arm [a heavy metal bar used for supporting electricity conductors]. I think that was one of the best things, because it really gave me the confidence that I could do it. But there was never any pressure that I had to do something.”

Madison is also famous at her depot for her organisational skills. She made it her mission to tidy up the trucks, so tools and equipment are easier to find, especially for trainees who are still learning.

“When you’re a trainee, someone asks you to find something like an HD14, but you don’t always know what it is. I was opening every drawer trying to find something that said HD14.

It was pretty hectic. But I fixed that. I went through all the trucks labelling and organising everything.”

Subsequent trainees have said her system helps them progress faster because they can identify equipment more easily.

These days Madison describes working with her all-male workmates as “fun and entertaining”. She also loves the variety her job offers, especially the chance to work outside and work in different locations.

“It’s kind of a lifestyle, rather than just a job.”

Madison is committed to a career in the Electricity Supply Industry and is excited by the opportunities and choices it offers.

“There are so many jobs I want to get into. It’s actually really hard to make a decision,” she says.

“I have been given so many opportunities at Electra.

In the short-term Madison is keen to experience working in the Control Room and has her eye on “giving Live-lining a go”. But in the meantime, she’s always looking for new training and learning opportunities.

“Once I finish something I get a bit fidgety. I always need to find something new to keep me going. I like to be learning.”

Her advice to anybody considering becoming a trainee in the industry is “just go for it!”.

“You’ll work with so many interesting people and you’ll meet a team of people on the block courses that you progress through your training with that you will become good mates with.”

Madison’s advice for any woman considering a career in the sector is to not be intimidated.

“It might feel a bit daunting at first, but you overcome the challenges and figure out the guys are fun to work with.”

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Generation Trainee of the Year

Danielle Main’s drive, initiative and proactive approach to achieving her training goals has seen her impress both her trainer and her boss in her role as an operator maintainer for Genesis Energy in Lake Tekapo. 

Her site manager at Genesis Energy, Mark Cain cites a particular example when Danielle showed the initiative to go to the control room and investigate the reason for a generator brake trip, – when she was in her role at the company for just two months. She found the cause of the problem, and promptly confirmed it with a senior operator who was at a remote site. “For a very new employee, this demonstrated considerable initiative and problem-solving ability.” 

Danielle began her training with a pre-trade electrical engineering course at Ara Institute in Christchurch, before starting her electrical apprenticeship at Te Apiti wind farm in Palmerston North then switching to Genesis Energy in Lake Tekapo. She is currently working towards her NZ Certificate in Electrical Trade (Electricity Supply) Level 4, and is completing Genesis’ internal Operator Maintainer Pathway. 

Danielle has been nominated in the QPower-sponsored Generation Trainee of the Year category of the 2021 Connexis Excellence Awards by Paul Bryant, senior operator maintainer for Genesis Energy. 

He says the incident reflects Danielle’s approach to work and study. “She doesn’t wait for things to come to her, and she proactively chases her goals.”  

Danielle is already at an equivalent level to other qualified operators in most areas and is on track to complete her operator training in a third of the expected time, says Paul. “She will be able to take on full standby duties and release other team members to carry out longer-term improvement projects.” 

As part of her role at Lake Tekapo  Danielle is responsible for supervising contractors and work groups that visit the site, ensuring they follow correct processes. She is also enthusiastic about sharing her own experiences with other trainees and pointing them in the right direction. She is an active participant in Girls with Hi-Vis and has delivered presentations at high schools to encourage others into jobs in the energy sector. 

She says industry training has allowed her to “develop my skills to become a better asset to my company and helped improve my understanding of the equipment I work with day-to-day”. She adds that she’d encourage others into training “because it allows for continuous improvement and a sense of satisfaction”.  

And she’s not done yet, though her current role offers plenty of challenges and variety.  

“Here you are an all-rounder, from office/administrative tasks, planning, operating, inspections, and practical electrical jobs,” Danielle says but she has her eye on further training. Next up is completing the Power Technician Qualification and eventually the NZ Diploma in  Engineering Practice. 

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Telecommunications Trainee of the Year 

“I’ve never heard her say; ‘this is too difficult, I cannot do it.” 

Navjot Kaur’s diligence and commitment to excellence has impressed Deep Basmet, her supervisor at Civtec in Hamilton, if that comment is anything to go by. 

Navjot has been a trainee fibre technician with Civtech for three years, where she is now nearing completion of her NZ Certificate in Telecommunications (Fibre Optics) Level 3. 

She has been nominated in the Telecommunications Trainee of the Year category (sponsored by Connexis) in the 2021 Connexis Excellence Awards. She was nominated by iSkills trainer and assessor Cameron Childerhouse who describes her as a perfectionist who ensures all her work – and her training – are completed to a high standard. 

“Navjot always applies the learnings from block courses within the workplace. She is a hard worker who is always looking for logistical answers as to why things work the way they do,” says Cameron, adding that she always asks for help when she needs it. “She wants to understand the whole concept.” 

He says Navjot is an exceptional role model to her co-workers and fellow trainees and she is always looking for ways to improve systems and processes. Plus she is happy to share her findings, and knowledge with other trainees. 

Within just five months of starting with Civtech, Navjot was appointed to train the next intake of new-starters with the company, and has been doing so ever since, demonstrating great leadership skills.

Cameron says Navjot wants to continue to develop with the telecommunications sector and currently wants to become a network designer, where she can use her knowledge to improve the network. He says it is also important to Navjot to be a mentor for other women combining into a still male-dominated sector. 

The post Leading the way for other trainees appeared first on Connexis | Infrastructure Training.

Telecommunications Trainee of the Year 

Timothy Sopp is proof it’s never time to stop learning.  

 As a fibre technician based in Wellington, Timothy is currently working towards his NZ Certificate in Telecommunications (Fibre Optics) Level 3, though he has a career in the industry spanning 50 years. 

 Timothy has been nominated in the Connexis-sponsored Telecommunications Trainee of the Year category of the 2021 Connexis Excellence Awards, by Anthea Mallasch, iSkills Trainee Coordinator. 

 Anthea says Timothy has a unique commitment to his on-going professional knowledge. Though he is eligible to complete training via the Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) pathway, he has instead chosen to complete the full qualification, attending all the block courses and completing all the assessments.  

“He understands the industry is constantly changing so he wants to keep up to date and ensure he is working on jobs with the right knowledge behind him,” Anthea says. “He is always questioning how things were done previously, how much he has learnt over his block courses, and how they differ.” 

Tim’s actions and attitudes are always positive, Anthea says. “His growth, knowledge and commitment to learning new things make him an exceptional trainee and an asset to the telecommunications industry.” 

Though Tim often works alone, as a sole contractor and director of his own company Reflectech Ltd, Anthea says he still manages to be a team player, offering to help both his fellow trainees and co-workers. “Tim is approachable in any circumstances and is always willing to guide those around him.”  

She says Tim’s Excellence Awards nomination will help him step into the role of mentor for younger technicians, adding that he gets great joy from passing on his knowledge to help others and seeing them develop. 

The post Learning never stops appeared first on Connexis | Infrastructure Training.

Advanced Trainee of the Year 

When Ben Aynsley began as an apprentice electrician with Electronet straight out of school, 18 years ago, he didn’t know the role of power system technician existed. He certainly didn’t know that with the right industry training under his belt, he’d become a power system technician working on major infrastructure projects all over NZ. 

One of the things he likes most about his job now is the role he plays in keeping NZ running. “I like being part of large projects that contribute to the development and stability of the national grid,” says Ben, who is based in Greymouth. 

“A power system technician is not a well known job. People may not know that every fault scenario in a power system gets simulated, tested and recorded during the commissioning process,” he says. “The power system technician, along with the project engineer, give the final OK to liven new pieces of high voltage electrical equipment.” 

Ben has been nominated in the PowerNet-sponsored Advanced Trainee of the Year category of the 2021 Connexis Excellence Awards, by Ralph Glasson, Senior Power System Technician for ElectroNet. Ralph says Ben’s diligence, hard work and commitment to his training, in his own time, have presented him with great opportunities within ElectroNet that have taken him from electrical apprentice to where he is now, and on to new challenges in the future. 

“Ben uses his learning in the workplace to help solve problems, from faults to design issues. He can offer suggestions and feedback to engineers and customers that is both practical and theoretically correct,” says Ralph, adding that Ben is very motivated and seeking out training and completing it to a high standard, all with a young family who also need his time and attention. 

 “Ben has always gone about his training very diligently and has completed all his academic training courses on time and often with above average marks,” he says citing, as an example, a recent paper Ben completed through the University of Southern Queensland which he undertook, without prompting, achieving High Distinction, while also completing the commissioning of the Kapuni Solar Farm for Todd Energy. 

Ralph adds that Ben is also very keen to help other trainees with their study, often setting up experiments in the workshop to explain concepts. 

For Ben, training is an ongoing commitment that allows him to keep developing. 

“Continued learning keeps your brain active and challenged. The additional knowledge training provides, allows you to piece together the puzzles you find during challenging jobs at work,” he says. “I plan on continuing on with my study and am aiming to complete an Electrical Engineering degree. From there I want to become a mentor to technicians and electricians starting out in the power system industry at Electronet.” 

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Contribution to Investing in Youth Training and Development

As a Senior Contract Manager for Electrix’s Power Services North business unit, David de Klerk has plenty of responsibilities – but that never stops him from taking the time to support the company’s trainees.

Training and support for apprentices is not part of David’s role with Electrix but his door is always open for any trainee in need of advice and encouragement.

David is a finalist in the Electrix-sponsored Contribution to Investing in Youth Training and Development category of the 2021 Connexis Industry Excellence Awards. He was nominated by Karl Wallace, Perimeter Director for Electrix in Auckland who says David has provided invaluable assistance to trainee electricians across the company in his almost 15 years with the company – and he does it all off his own back.

“Even though it is not his primary job, he makes the time to assist and support young trainees with theory and practical assessments, ensuring their progression and success.”

One of those former trainees who had the benefits of David’s support, Danielle Forman, says she’s never known anyone go above and beyond the call of duty for others, the way David does. “He never turns away anyone in need. Dave treats others, apprentices especially, with a grace that suggests you are at the top of his priority list, regardless of how long that list might be.”

Karl Wallace says David has helped grow the confidence and success of a huge number of trainees, sharing the knowledge he has accumulated in more than 35 years of working in the electrical industry, both in New Zealand and South Africa.

“His patience and knowledge have given many of the apprentices the foundation they need to start a successful career in the electrical industry, and to build on their apprenticeship and training,” Karl says. That includes regularly following up with trainees on how their studies are progressing, helping them if they’re struggling and organising work in other parts of the company, and industry, to make sure they meet their requirements.

David also works closely with training providers such as Connexis to help improve training pathways for apprentices. David says his own industry training has “strengthened by knowledge to be able to support and mentor the new trainees that have come through over the years”.

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Transmission Trainee of the Year

As an office administrator for Electrix, then based in Taupo, Debbie Kernohan found she needed a better understanding of what crews were working on out in the field.

She started making site visits to bring herself up to speed, and developed such a passion for what she learned, that when Electrix offered her an apprenticeship, she jumped at the chance.

Industry training has opened up a whole new world, she says. “It’s started my career and given me opportunities to learn and advance further.

“You can’t go wrong, earning while you learn. And you learn a lot more by physically doing the job than just learning about it in books.”

Debbie completed her apprenticeship earlier in 2021 and is now an electrical fitter with Electrix’s Power Services North business unit, based in Auckland.

Debbie is a finalist in the Transpower-sponsored Transmission Trainee of the Year category of the 2021 Connexis Industry Excellence Awards.  She was nominated by Lakhmi Venkatesan, Business Unit Manager, for Electrix in Auckland who says Debbie jumps to take advantage of any opportunities that come her way to learn more and build her competencies.

“She is not afraid to put up her hand to give things a go, but is also humble enough to ask for assistance if needed,” Lakhmi says. “She’s never afraid to speak up with ideas for improvements and … if she finds things that are unsafe on the job.”

She says Debbie has now developed specialist technical knowledge on critical network infrastructure that means she is often the ‘go-to’ person within the team.

Lakhmi adds that Debbie is an inspiration to other trainees in Electrix and is generous with sharing her knowledge and keeps a clear head under pressure. “She leads by example and does her best to assist others in any way possible, be it the job supervisor, colleagues or apprentices.”

Debbie demonstrated the same commitment and attitude when it came to her own training, says Lakhmi. “She would ensure she was afforded the opportunity to work with other areas of the company to get her sign-offs completed. Her passion to learn more, allowed her to raise her hand when opportunities presented themselves.”

Debbie says she particularly enjoys panel writing and fault-finding because they give her a great challenge. She says her team has been really supportive of her studies and have “kicked her arse when I’m trailing behind”.

She adds that she sees a great career path ahead. “I’m hoping to head towards project management, however things change, so I’m open to all opportunities that come my way.”

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Transmission Trainee of the Year

One of the best things about being a trainee line mechanic for Jessie Galang is knowing he is contributing to New Zealand’s future.

Jessie, who works for Electrix in Palmerston North, says while many people might not know just “how good this job is” he’d recommend training as a line mechanic because it’s a skilled role the country “really needs”.

Jessie started with Electrix as a trainee in 2019, completing the 2019 Gridskills Transmission Line Pathway. He also had some previous experience working in the electrical sector in the Philippines, having gained a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering there.

That experience means Jessie has become a natural leader among other trainees, says Arun Dhanjee, Electric Construction Manager in Palmerston North.

Arun, who nominated Jessie for the Transpower-sponsored Transmission Trainee of the Year category in the 2021 Connexis Industry Excellence Awards, says he is a standout employee as well as an excellent trainee.

Devotion to his studies, enthusiasm for his work, persistence with his own training, and generosity with his time are traits that make Jessie an important team member, says Arun.

He says Jessie will give up his own time to help other trainees and make sure they have a thorough understanding of their work, and he instigates discussions around complex projects to make sure other trainees can the best learning and development. He also spends a lot of his break time making sure he’s on top of his studies, and has managed to balance his training with his work and raising a young family.

“Jessie is always focused on challenging himself and continually learning,” Arun says. “[He] is not afraid to take the lead and continuously demonstrates and discusses safety.”

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