From Connexis Thursday July 2, 2026: The next generation of New Zealand women are stepping up to take their place on the country’s major infrastructure projects and work sites. Throughout June, Connexis Girls with Hi-Vis® saw female secondary students from around the country visit their local infrastructure employers to find out more about the career opportunities in industries such as civil construction, …
“I knew I didn’t want to go to university but I loved doing hands-on work and learning in a practical way.”
The answer to that equation for 19-year-old Annabelle Thorpe-Hall was taking on an electrical trade apprenticeship, with ElectriNET, part of the Horizon Energy Group, in Gisborne.
2nd June 2026 Hands-on work experience is key to connecting young women to the wide variety of career opportunities that exist in traditionally male-dominated infrastructure trades, according to one of the industry’s leading training providers. Kicking off this week Girls with Hi-Vis® (GWHV) is an annual month-long series of events developed by Connexis, infrastructure training provider for the civil construction, energy, telecommunications and water industries. Throughout June every year …
“I was going to become an electrician, but a friend said I talk too much and I’d go nuts if I was working on my own a lot.” Instead Azra Wenzlick pivoted toward training as a line mechanic, following in the footsteps of both her father and grandfather. “I actually knew about the industry because my granddad, back in the day, was a …
Gemma Rose would like you to know there are lots of different ways to be an electrician. Gemma, 28, is a Power Technician with Empowered Technical Services in Waikato, where she’s been for the past two years working in high-voltage (HV) and Medium Voltage (MV) substations. Gemma has completed the NZ Certificate Electrical Supply – Power Technician (L5) through Connexis …
“Outward Bound has taught me a lot. It helped me grow my inner voice, giving me the confidence to speak up, just be myself and to not shy away.” For Cathrynn Schwalger (Pictured above second from left, top row), a 28-year-old, HV trainee electrician for Omexom, the Connexis Outward Bound scholarship offered the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone …
As the country’s top energy sector workers show off their world-class skills at a national competition event in Christchurch next month, two young local women are making their mark. More female competitors are making their presence felt at Annual Connection each year, and this year is no exception with a record number of women registered to take on the challenges …
What was meant to be a temporary job has turned into a fulfilling career path for Kaitlyn Newsome. Kaitlyn’s civil construction career began when she was working for a labour hire company supplying staff to HEB Construction. She decided she’d like to give the trade a go herself. Kaitlyn, who has also worked as a prison officer, has been with …
Attending a Connexis Girls with Hi-Vis® (GWHV) event in 2022 opened Natalee Hughes’s eyes to a new world of career possibilities. After attending a GWHV hosted by Horizon Networks in Whakatane, Natalee completed a Gateway programme with Horizon while she was still a student at Trident High School. It just cemented the idea that a career as a line mechanic …
When Hollie Atarau was 17, she started at Bay of Plenty’s Waiotahi Contractors as a receptionist. 25 years later she is now the Waiotahi’s quality and environmental advisor, thanks to an unbeatable combination of hard work and good training, through Connexis. In fact, Hollie was one of the first people in New Zealand to complete a brand new qualification in …
