Hydro Tasmania and Workskills Tasmania Empower Young People with Hands-On Career Exposure

05 May 2025

Our crews recently teamed up with Workskills Tasmania to offer a unique, hands-on work experience program for young people in Tasmania!

Workskills Tasmania offers the ‘Transition to Work’ program, for young people in the community who need extra support. The program was designed to highlight different career and job opportunities that some people might not know about. In March, we teamed up with Workskills Tasmania to bring this program to Hydro Tasmania power station and construction sites!

“With a lot of Hydro Tasmania’s projects, we are always looking at ways to take the community on the journey with us and bringing participants to our sites is a fantastic opportunity because it gives that real-world hands-on experience that you just don’t get in a class room environment” said Jane, Senior Community Engagement Advisor.

The two-day program, aimed at young people aged 17-25, offered a valuable behind the scenes look at the world of hydropower and careers at Hydro Tasmania. Participants explored everything from power stations to hydropower projects, while gaining firsthand experience in trades and professional roles within the company.

Day one included a group visit to Cluny Power Station, where participants learned how water is converted into electricity – a vital part of Tasmania’s energy landscape. Hydro Tasmania Maintenance Assistants Jordan and Libby, along with Cadet Hydrographer Isobel, shared their experiences and provided insight into what it takes to keep a power station running safely and efficiently.

“My favourite part of the day for me was the speed careering as I got to engage with the participants and learn from their background and what interests them most about hydropower. It was great to have open communication and hear their thoughts on the tour and their interests” said Libby, Maintenance Assistant.

Along with the ‘speed careering’ session, participants also received valuable tips on navigating the hiring process, applying for jobs and preparing for interviews. Sophie Calic, Workskills’ Youth Program Manager, noted that many of the participants had missed out on similar opportunities due to leaving school early. This program, she explained, was designed to give participants real industry exposure and skill-building experiences.

“There are definitely a couple of different pathways there that I can see a career through – it’s good. I can see myself working here, there are a lot of great people who support each other,”

The second day of the program took participants to Edgar Dam, part of the Gordon-Pedder hydropower scheme in the wild South-West. Here, a major upgrade is currently underway, with participants shadowing professionals from Hydro Tasmania and Halls Earthmoving, gaining experience in a range of roles from dam maintenance and civil construction to environmental management and drone flying.

“You get to experience new things that you didn’t think you’d be interested in. That has opened my mind a lot because you don’t realise how many jobs there actually are within the one industry,” said Sophie, a participant in the program.

Oliver, Project Manager for the Edgar Dam upgrades, emphasised that programs like this are essential for building the workforce of the future. “We know we need more young people working across Tasmania’s industries to meet the demand of the future,” he said. “This program is designed to provide young people with insights into a range of trades and professional roles and give them the confidence to try something new.”

“I think it’s that hands on exposure to real roles and hopefully participants get to see themselves maybe in some of the people they walk and talk with, and they understand some of the backgrounds and pathways that have led to some of the roles that they have got exposure to”.

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