Transpower Reviews

Ex-grads seem to do very well in Transpower and are found at almost all levels of upper management, or in senior technical roles if they prefer.

A big focus is on maintaining our 'social license to operate'. This means we actively engage with landowners and iwi early with the aim of having genuine collaboration and trying to right past wrongs. I've been in many meetings, conversations, and workshops where we've had to acknowledge that the company has treated people poorly in the past (e.g., building transmission lines on people's land with little or no consultation) and that it can take a long time to rebuild that trust.

The culture is one of casual efficiency and support. Everyone is willing to bend over backwards to help, especially to tackle a particularly stimulating challenge. Work is kept within work hours, and there is no shortage of after-hours events being organised by clubs and communities.

Diversity is clearly a priority at Transpower. Statistics on the number of women employed are shared by the CEO every month, with targets to reach a 40/40/20 ratio (40% men, 40% women, and 20% either). There is also training on recognising bias and inclusivity.

I'm tasked with work that mainly supports other members of the team, but sometimes I'm given the chance to lead a job while being supported by somebody else.

All the managers I've had during my rotations have been excellent, and the graduate manager is a fantastic asset to the company.

I am based in the Wellington office. We also have offices in Auckland, Palmy, Christchurch, Hamilton, and maybe some other smaller regional offices. The dress code is business casual, and we have casual Fridays.

It started with an interview, and if you were shortlisted, you completed a personality test, an emotional intelligence test, and a general mental ability test. The final part of the process involved background checks (references, criminal history, etc.)

The base pay seems higher than consultancies at this stage in their careers. There are also non-salary benefits (away from home allowance when working in a different city) that make a big difference as well.

The breadth and depth of training in the graduate program have undeniably accelerated my professional development.

Very flexible working hours and the option to work up to two days a week from home. There are some exceptions to this, but overall, I like it because it means people are in the office.

There are definitely some areas to improve (e.g., not using so much plastic at job sites), but our whole focus is on enabling decarbonisation, so by virtue of the work we do, we are helping too reduce New Zealand's environmental footprint.