Careers of Stanwell grads powering on after Graduate Program completion

18 March 2021

After the completion of their two-year Graduate Program, four of Stanwell’s graduates from the company’s 2019 intake have secured roles within the Queensland energy generation business.

The pathway that these graduates have taken highlights the long-term career opportunities available at Stanwell and within the energy industry.

Our former graduates share more about their experience and what they look forward to most in their new roles. 

Expressions of interest are now open for our 2022 Graduate Program intake.

Kaila Sutherland (Former People and Culture Graduate)
New role: Learning and Capability Advisor, People and Culture

“I started in the graduate program in 2019 after hearing about Stanwell through my university mentoring program. I was attracted to Stanwell due to the variety of work offered and the complexity of the energy industry. 

Trips to Stanwell’s operational sites were a highlight of my program. These trips, along with a rotation to Stanwell Power Station to support the People and Culture team onsite, gave me a better understanding of the industry, and I learnt how to be adaptable, communicate clearly and build resilience.

When it comes to my new role at Stanwell, I am looking forward to providing support to all our apprentices, trainees and graduates that are starting out in their careers.”

Fun fact or takeaway? “Stanwell loves acronyms!”

Erin Wilson (Former Energy Trading and Commercial Strategy Graduate)
New role: Commercial Advisor, Commercial Strategy

“I started at Stanwell in the Stanwell Energy team. The program offered a variety of experiences working within different teams in the Energy Trading and Commercial Strategy division, so I thought it was an excellent opportunity for my career development.

I found myself progressing from knowing very little about the energy market to being on shift as a duty trader and assisting with optimising our power stations’ operations in the physical energy market. These experiences and learning opportunities would not have been possible without some of the great (and patient!) people I worked with along the way.

Looking to the future, I am excited to be working on a variety of projects that explore new opportunities for Stanwell to incorporate more renewable technologies into our portfolio and learn more about optimising our existing resources and assets.”
  
Fun fact you’ve learned from the program? “There are some excellent purveyors of baked goods on the road to the Tarong power stations! Don’t miss a chance to visit the Blackbutt Bakery!”

Christine Tan (Former Finance Graduate)
Group Accountant, Finance 

“I joined Stanwell, starting off in Tax, Treasury and Energy Settlements, and progressively rotated to Procurement and Supply, Group Finance, and finally, Modelling Analytics and Regulatory Strategy. It was the learning and development opportunities offered through these rotations that attracted me to Stanwell. These opportunities have allowed me to gain a greater understanding of how the front, middle and back office of a sophisticated energy company operates. 

Within my new role, I am excited for the opportunity to take up more responsibility and face the challenges that lie ahead.”

Surprise learning from the program? “Electricity spot prices are highly volatile – based on supply and demand at any time in the market. It is common to see prices spike from $10/MWh to $15,000/MWh (the current Market Price Cap) in as short as five minutes!”

Jess Smith (Former Finance Graduate)
Market Analyst, Energy Trading 

“I started the graduate program as a Finance Graduate. At that time my first rotation was in Group Finance as a member of the Group Accounting and Reporting team. Throughout the two years, I completed rotations across the Quantitative Risk and Analytics, Modelling, Analytics and Regulatory Strategy and Procurement and Supply teams. 

The graduate program provided a unique opportunity to nurture and develop my existing skills from my studies but also, apply them to real-world problems. There is always something exciting or changing within the energy industry and the opportunities to learn are endless. I’ve found the culture to be wonderful, and everyone is friendly, caring, and helpful. 

I have gained a great insight into the inner workings of the energy industry from both a retail and generator perspective and broadened my knowledge of Stanwell’s business operations. Within my new role, I am looking forward to deepening my knowledge of the energy market, improving my development and technical skills, and establishing a career path for myself.” 

Program takeaway? “The energy industry is full of acronyms and no matter how long you’re in it, you’ll never know all of them.”