Minister Lance McCallum with Energy Queensland. Image: Queensland Government
High school students are invited to apply for a Cadetship on Queensland’s SuperGrid to facilitate future careers in the renewable energy industry of Australia.
Following a successful pilot across Southwest Queensland this year, Ergon Energy Network and Energex, in partnership with TAFE Queensland, are expanding the program across regional and remote Queensland in 2025.
Minister for Training and Skills Development, Lance McCallum, said that this is the opportunity for high school students to get the skills they need for a secure job in Australia’s clean energy future.
“Queensland’s SuperGrid Superheroes are an army of qualified tradespeople working on everything from residential and commercial solar to large scale renewable energy generation, transmission and distribution, battery, and pumped hydro storage,” said McCallum.
“This cadetship is being offered by two of Queensland’s proudest publicly owned institutions.”
Up to 100 high school students are set to benefit from an electrical cadetship at 55 regional, rural, and remote Queensland Ergon Energy and Energex depots.
The program has been specifically designed to align young people living in regional and remote Queensland with career pathways in state’s energy industry.
Cadets gain on-the-job experience with formal training attaining a Certificate II in Electrotechnology and a General Safety Induction course (White Card).
Through the Ergon Energy Network and Energex 2025 Pre-apprenticeship Program, students will learn from experienced TAFE Queensland trainers and Ergon Energy Network and Energex experts.
At the program, cadets have the opportunity to learn:
- essential work, health and safety requirements contextualised to the electrical industry;
- primary technical skills for the electricity distribution, retail and energy services sector including, the use of multiple power tools and materials, reading and interpreting site plans and specifications;
- real-world site experience at Ergon Energy Network and Energex depots throughout regional and remote Queensland; and;
- enterprise skills by completing Toolbox Talks and providing a formal project handover to the next incoming group at the end of rostered shift.