What exactly do you do as a network planning engineer?
In this role as a network planning engineer, I work with a variety of inputs suck as historic data on electrical loading, demand forecasts, and upcoming technological trends to determine the future requirements of our electricity distribution network. This allows us to plan what upgrades we need to make the network and when to make sure that our customers will have power when they need it.
You have just been named Young Energy Professional of the Year at the NZ Energy Excellence Awards - it's so great that the industry recognises and celebrates achievements. How did this make you feel?
It was a very surreal experience for me as I am not accustomed to being in the limelight! The supportive atmosphere was amazing on the night and it felt really great to be acknowledged for the work I have done in my career so far.
Along with your engineering role, you are also a Development Programme Leader at Orion - can you tell us about that facet of your work life?
The Orion Development Programme is primarily aimed at transitioning qualified electricians into the electricity distribution sector while also supporting them to obtain their Diploma in Engineering. In 2020, when the opportunity came up to lead the program, I took it as a great opportunity to further develop some of my soft skills. This was a big leap for me at the time and really helped grow my confidence in leadership and decision-making. This role also sees me involved in high school outreach.
What is your motivation or driving force for being in this industry? Are there long-term goals that you would like to see met by the industry?
I enjoy being part of the electricity industry because it is a service that almost everyone uses on a daily basis. Electrification and robust electricity infrastructure will be key enablers in New Zealand's journey to a low emissions future.
What experiences do you look back on most fondly from your time at UC?
I really enjoyed the hands-on aspects of the engineering courses while I was at UC. Being able to apply concepts learned in lectures into something practical really helped with my understanding, whether it was through the labs, programming microcontrollers or racing go-karts on circuits we designed and built.
