What do you get up to in your day-to-day role?
I work in the IT department, in the OT/SCADA (Operational Technology/Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) team. OT allows us to detect changes in the equipment in our network. My team is responsible for taking the data from OT and using it to build and maintain a digital model of the electricity distribution network. This allows us to identify faults in the network, assist with scheduled maintenance, and support other teams in the business. Over my 6 month rotation in the OT/SCADA team, I have worked on a number of large tasks while also completing smaller ad hoc tasks. One of these large tasks has been web development for my team's knowledgebase website. The Knowledgebase website is a library of information and work instructions on the applications we use. A regular day working on the knowledgebase website involves sourcing current, up-to-date information on applications which may involve shadowing a team member who is a subject matter expert. I then use this new information to create web pages in the knowledgebase website or update existing ones using Visual Studio Code.
What's your background?
I grew up on a farm outside a small town in South Gippsland. I went to high school in a nearby town which is where I discovered my passion for IT in my first computer science class. I studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology at Federation University where I learned about various areas of IT. After finishing uni, I saw the advertisement for the graduate program online and applied as it looked like a great opportunity for someone like myself. I’ve now been in the grad program for nearly a year and a half.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, I believe so. There have been other IT Grads who have completed the same or similar roles but who do not come from an IT background and who continue to thrive in IT. For someone with a different background, I think that being good at learning new skills and being able to take in technology-based concepts are good characteristics to have. Other good characteristics for someone in this role would be having an interest in technology, and the energy industry and is enthusiastic about learning. I think that there are many soft skills from different areas that are transferable.
What do you love most about your job?
What I like most about my job is that I get to work on tasks that I find really interesting. Being someone who likes working with and learning about technology, I like being able to do hands-on work with applications and tools such as AutoCAD and PowerOn Fusion. I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do this across multiple teams which is why I really enjoy the grad program. Having the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills across many teams is also one of my favourite things about my role.
So far, what has been the highlight of the graduate program? Was your graduate role as you expected it to be? Did anything take you by surprise?
One of the highlights of the Grad program so far has been the grad trip. This was a great opportunity to go on industry-specific tours and develop connections with the other grads. I was surprised by how much support you get in the grad program; everyone is always happy to help you out and is always willing to answer any questions or to have a chat. Other rotations outside of the OT/SCADA team? As well as the OT/SCADA team, I have done rotations in the Design Support team and the Security Operations team. The training has been great in each rotation and I was able to take on more responsibilities in those teams as I learnt.
Everyone is keen on maintaining work/life balance, with that in mind what is the longest day you have put in and have you worked weekends at all?
The longest day that I’ve done so far has been 8.00 am – 6.00 pm one day in my first rotation. I have only had to work on one weekend where I had to check on a server throughout the day and restart it if it stopped for a project. I typically work three days in the office and two days from home. I am also allowed to choose my starting time. I like to start at 8.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm.
Do you have any advice for potential graduates applying?
If you’re not exactly sure in which area you want to work after uni, I would definitely recommend applying for the Grad program. I’d advise any applicants to research and learn about the business before the interviews so that they’re well prepared. I’d also advise making sure to ask any questions you may have during the interviews.