The born and bred Queenslander who proudly protects our state’s power systems
Anyone who meets Elijah can see his future is set to be a bright one. From joining Powerlink as an apprentice to now leading one of our Secondary Systems teams, Elijah plays a critical role in keeping Queensland’s lights on - now and into the future. He’s passionate about inspiring the next generation of apprentices to join us on this powerful mission and shape their own purposeful careers.
Growing a great career
“What do you want to do when you leave school?”
It’s a question Elijah asks countless times at the careers fairs, school functions and vocational roadshows he speaks at. And it’s the question that, years earlier, led him on the path to Powerlink.
“Electricity has always interested me, so I started studying a pre-vocational course in electrotechnology. I started researching power stations and the high-voltage (HV) industry to see if any offered electrical apprenticeships, and that was when I discovered Powerlink. I had no idea they existed before then, but working for a backbone infrastructure entity that provided a critical service to the state sounded like very interesting and rewarding work”
Elijah’s four-year Protection and Metering Apprenticeship gave him the opportunity to work on Powerlink’s cutting-edge protection systems while simultaneously studying for his associate degree. He loved every minute of it. When the apprenticeship came to an end, Elijah moved on from Powerlink, but always hoped he'd find his way back later on in his career.
“Leaving such a supportive organisation was certainly daunting, but looking back, it ended up being an excellent opportunity to further my skills and experience. I did some really interesting work on wind farms in South Australia and protection testing on power stations in the Northern Territory. I was enjoying my job, but I was pretty upfront with my boss that the only reason I would leave would be for Powerlink. Now, funnily enough, he works here too! As well as a few of my other colleagues. I guess I made an impression on them,” Elijah jokes.
Serious about support
When Elijah returned to Powerlink, he accepted a role as a Protection Metering Engineering Officer, which saw him out in the field, helping maintain and upgrade the protection systems responsible for ensuring safe and reliable power in Queensland. After four years in this role, Elijah progressed to Secondary Systems Section Leader, where his focus is now directed towards looking after his team.
“Even though I’m in a leadership position, I’m just as accountable to my team as they are to me. It’s my responsibility to make sure their professional needs are met and that they’re getting the development opportunities and job satisfaction they’re looking for. Another critical part of my role is ensuring their safety and wellbeing. We work away a lot in the field teams, so it’s important to check in with everyone and make sure they’re getting the level of support they need to balance work and personal life. That’s very important to me, and to Powerlink as well.”
Elijah has experienced this need for support first-hand when a family emergency pulled him out of the field.
“I was working up in North Queensland when I got a call that my 91-year old grandmother had broken her hip and required urgent surgery. The doctors said that at her age, there was a reasonably high chance she wouldn’t live through it. It was pretty daunting to get that call when I was hundreds of kilometres away. I informed my Section Leader and they had me on a plane that afternoon so I could be with her. Those are the kind of lengths Powerlink are willing to go to for us. The support here is fantastic.”
A bright future
The support Elijah receives at Powerlink enables him to do the incredibly important work that keeps Queensland powered every day. But he’s also driven by the pride he feels in protecting and providing this power on such a large scale.
“It’s amazing to be a part of something so integral to the way the state operates - in fact, in the way the country operates. The Queensland-New South Wales interconnector is part of Powerlink’s network, so we often support other states by providing electricity across borders. I personally feel privileged to play a small part in an industry so critical to our everyday lives.”
Elijah’s strong connection to our purpose makes him the perfect person to help us attract new people to the Powerlink team. He is the friendly face behind the Powerlink booth at many school careers events and roadshows, and the voice that tells them all about how great a career here can be.
“The key thing for me at the high school level is making people aware. Powerlink operates on a bit of a low profile - some people don’t even know who we are! I didn’t at that age. So, step one is telling them who we are and what we do. And then I talk about the range of different roles we offer. You might start in one career, but who knows where you’ll end up. We have lawyers, accountants, HR, WHS, engineering pathways, trades pathways. As far as an organisation goes, we’re big enough that most people’s interests can be found within a role at Powerlink.”
Elijah can certainly talk to this - he’s forged his path at Powerlink to create the career he always aspired towards. And while the professional opportunities here are phenomenal, for him, it’s the personal support he’s received that’s really made his career at Powerlink so worthwhile.
“For every student I talk to, I don’t know where their pathways are taking them. But what I do know is that as a company, Powerlink is incredibly supportive when it comes to development, diversity and opportunity. A great career is about the culture and the place you work at as much as it’s about the role you’re doing. Powerlink offers the best of both worlds. It’s a great company to work for, and that’s what I want to try to pitch to people when they walk past.”