Trade types
We have a variety of trade types on offer through our apprenticeship program. The apprenticeships that are available are varied in line with the needs of our business.
See what a career in these trade types is like in our videos below.
When we are advertising for apprenticeship applications, the details will be shown on our Positions and locations web page.
We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage all people to apply for our apprenticeships.
Entry requirements
To apply you must be 17 years or older at the time of starting your apprenticeship with us, and if still at school, be completing year 12 when you submit your application. As part of our selection criteria, the following attributes form part of the selection criteria.
Core skills
- Mathematics – Completing an electrical apprenticeship requires you to make calculations relating to electrical design. It is important to have a good understanding of mathematical basics in addition to algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Geometry is used when calculating cross sectional areas of cables and algebra is used when calculating voltage and electrical loads. Trigonometry comes into play when you start to look at concepts such as capacitance and magnetism
- Literacy - Having good language and writing skills is critical in helping you be a successful apprentice. You must have the ability to read and interpret safe work method statements, wiring rules, standards, drawings, and complete documentation
- Teamwork and Communication - As an apprentice, you will be working with a wide variety of people in small teams, so communication skills are paramount. You must have the ability to share your ideas and solutions and create a positive experience for our customers and your team members
- Safety Mindset – Working safely in a high-risk environment is a critical requirement for an apprentice in our industry. Apprentices must display the correct behaviours to ensure the safety of themselves and others by developing an appropriate attitude towards managing risk and following all workplace procedures and directions.
Specialist skills
- Working at heights – All our apprentices are required to work at heights from time to time, and this can include working at heights over 20 metres on ladders or working from elevated work platforms. Our Distribution and Transmission Linespeople and Communications Technicians apprentices will be working at heights regularly and may even have to access towers from a helicopter, so it’s important that they have no fear of heights and enjoy this aspect of their work
- Confined spaces – Our Underground Cable Jointers can spend a considerable part of their working day in cramped and confined spaces such as trenches, pits, and ducts, so it’s important that these apprentices are comfortable working in these conditions
- Training – All our apprenticeships may have a significant working away from home requirement, and this can include travel for training. If your apprenticeship is not located at a training centre, you could be away for up to 32 weeks during the four-year apprenticeship, generally in blocks of two or four weeks at a time
- Working remotely – All of our apprentices may be required to work remotely in all parts of Queensland from time to time as they complete their apprenticeship. Our Transmission Linesperson apprentices spend a significant part of their working life away from home as they maintain the transmission network across the State.
UEE30820 - Certificate lll in Electrotechnology Electrician
During your apprenticeship you'll have the opportunity to work in differing working environments to give you experience in electrical distribution, domestic and commercial aspects of the trade.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble, and dismantle electrical and power distribution equipment
- Safely working at heights – including climbing power poles
- How to select and terminate various types of current carrying electrical conductors
- Interpret electrical, architectural and mechanical diagrams or drawings
- Understand electrical concepts required to fault find electromagnetic, direct and alternating current circuits
- Selection of correct electrical equipment and wiring for a particular job
- Installation of lighting, power outlets, conduits, cable trays, ladder racks, high and low voltage circuit breakers
- Fault-finding, testing and repairing electrical equipment
- Connection of electrical equipment and appliances
- Installation of motors and switchboards
- Operate, maintain, and repair high voltage switchgear and transformers
- Installation of automated electrical controls
- Planning of appropriate layouts for electrical wiring systems.
UEE30920 - Certificate lll in Electronics and Communications
Our communications technicians are responsible for a diverse range of tasks that relate to constructions and maintenance of our communications network, fibre optics and substation control and monitoring equipment over large geographical areas.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble, and dismantle electronic and communication equipment
- Safely working at heights – including climbing communications towers
- Fibre Optic splicing
- Installation and maintenance of radio links, Ethernet, and industrial/carrier equipment
- Installation and maintenance of mobile communications equipment in company vehicles
- Set up, test, fault find, repair, and maintain electronic equipment and devices at component/sub-assembly level
- Set up computer hardware and install and customise software applications used in telecommunications equipment
- Installation and maintenance of battery and solar systems at remote communications sites.
UET30621 - Certificate lll in ESI - Distribution Overhead
Distribution linespersons perform a range of tasks including customer service, overhead network construction, maintenance and fault response.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble and dismantle electrical and power distribution equipment
- Safely working at heights – including climbing power poles
- Obtain high risk work license, including elevated work platforms, dogging and forklift
- Drive medium and heavy rigid trucks
- Install and maintain public lighting and overhead conductors and cables
- How to select and terminate various types of current carrying electrical conductors
- Read electrical diagrams and drawings
- Understand electrical concepts required to fault find electromagnetic, direct and alternating current circuits
- Selection of correct electrical apparatus for a particular job
- Fault-finding, testing and repairing electrical distribution equipment
- Connection of electrical distribution equipment
- Operate, maintain, and repair high voltage switchgear and transformers
- Conduct high and low voltage switching operations
- Maintain poles, towers, and associated hardware.
UET30821 - Certificate III in ESI - Distribution Underground
Our Cable Jointers are responsible for making, laying, joining, repairing and terminating our underground distribution network.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble, and dismantle electrical and power distribution equipment
- Safely working at heights – including climbing power poles
- Obtain high risk work license, including elevated work platforms, dogging, and forklift
- Drive medium and heavy rigid trucks
- How to select and terminate various types of current carrying electrical conductors
- Read electrical diagrams and drawings
- Understand electrical concepts required to fault find electromagnetic, direct and alternating current circuits
- Selection of correct electrical apparatus for a particular job
- Fault-finding, testing and repairing electrical distribution equipment
- Connection of electrical distribution equipment
- Conduct high and low voltage switching operations
- Installing and maintaining underground electrical cables by pulling cables through underground conduits, trenches or pipes and joining them in transmission and distribution systems
- Conducting tests to check cable integrity and locate faults
- Prepare cable terminations for electrical equipment and overhead lines
- Install, maintain, and test underground infrastructure including transformers, high and low voltage switchgear.
MEM30219 - Certificate lll in Engineering - Mechanical Trade
Our diesel fitters primarily work with our Generation Group in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands maintaining our remote diesel-powered generation equipment, or in our Fleet Workshops in South East Queensland maintaining our fleet of plant and equipment.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble and dismantle mechanical equipment
- Learn how to set up machinery to enable the manufacture of engineering products
- Maintaining, diagnosing and repairing hydraulic components of diesel–powered equipment
- Using oxy, electric, TIG and MIG welding techniques and machining processes to replace and repair parts
- Dismantling, repairing and reassembling engines, transmissions and other components
- Using computers, instruments, and specialised tools to diagnose and repair faults
- Design and manufacture modifications to existing components, parts and other items
- Undertake construction and commissioning work.
UET30521 - Certificate III in ESI - Transmission Overhead
Transmission linespersons perform a range of tasks on transmission overhead powerlines, including the installation, inspection and maintenance of towers, poles, structures, conductors and hardware.
What skills will you acquire?
- Application of work health and safety principles
- The use of hand and power tools to install, fabricate, assemble and dismantle electrical and power transmission equipment
- Safely working at heights, including climbing transmission towers and poles
- Accessing transmission structures from a helicopter
- Obtain high risk work license, including elevated work platforms, rigging, and dogging
- Drive medium and heavy rigid trucks
- Inspect, install, and maintain transmission overhead conductors and cables
- Inspect, install, and maintain transmission structures and hardware
- How to select and terminate various types of current carrying electrical conductors
- Read electrical diagrams and drawings
- Understand electrical concepts required to fault find electromagnetic, direct and alternating current circuits
- Selection of correct electrical apparatus for a particular job.
Watch our videos to learn more about these trade types
Distribution Linesperson
Skip to descriptionHi, I’m Montel, I’m a first year Distribution Linesperson and this is a day in the life of a Liney.
What I love about the job is just the variety of stuff we do on a day-to-day basis.
Ah, it can be anything from setting up trucks to pole recovery stuff, running cable from different poles to the next pole, setting up transformers, connecting everything. Yeah, it’s very interesting.
What you may not realise is there’s seven different apprenticeship types across Energy Queensland.
I’m actually an Apprentice Distribution Linesperson. The other two popular ones are Underground Cable Jointer, and Electrical Fitter Mechanics.
The thing is, not all apprenticeships are available at all locations. So, jump onto the website and have a look.
If I had some advice for anyone… apply! You don’t have to be a school leaver. You can definitely be mature age and if you want to get ahead of the pack, there’s a Cert 2 you can do and that will give you a head start.
But whatever you do, apply… and, I’ll see you soon!
Distribution Linesperson
Montel talks about a day in the life of an Apprentice Distribution Linesperson.
Underground Cable Jointer
Skip to descriptionHi, I’m Courntee, I’m a 1st Year Underground Cable Jointer Apprentice… and basically what that means is that I work on the Underground System here at Energy Queensland.
Underground work involves getting rid of all the ugly overhead powerlines that you see everyday and running that infrastructure underground. But there is a bit of variety as eventually those underground cables do need to come up to the main overhead system and join on there… so you do have to do a little pole work as well.
What I like best about my job is not only the variety of work but also the various locations we get to work in. So, for example, one day we could be working on a transformer on the Gold Coast like today… on tomorrow we could be working on a pillar underground up north of Brisbane.
My role as an Underground Cable Jointer is just one of seven apprenticeships you can apply for.
However, not all apprenticeships are available at all depots. To find out more, jump on our Apprenticeship webpage for more details.
If I had any advice for anybody wanting to apply, I would recommend going and doing your Cert 2 in Electro Technology. It’s not necessary, however, it will give you a head start and put you ahead of the pack.
However, you can just apply straight from school, or if you’re looking for a career change, I highly recommend it, it is a great job and a great place to work!
Underground Cable Jointer
Hear from Courtnee about a day in the life of an Apprentice Underground Cable Jointer.
Electrical Fitter Mechanic
Skip to descriptionHello, I’m Ryan, I’m a fourth-year apprentice at Ergon Energy.
As part of my role, I get to do a range of things… whether it’s working on a substation, working on an underground section or working on the powerlines.
And that’s what I love about my job… it’s the variety I get working everyday.
Another thing I like about this job is the mateship. Everyone is like a family here and if anything happens, they’ve all got your back.
What people may not realise is that there are actually seven different apprenticeships available across Energy Queensland.
Some of the popular ones are Electrical Fitter Mechanic like myself, Distribution Linesperson or Underground Cable Jointer.
Just remember not all apprenticeships are available at each location. So jump on our website and see what those options are.
If you’re considering applying for an apprenticeship, you can do so as a High School student, or later on as a mature age apprentice.
Either way, you won’t regret it!
Electrical Fitter Mechanic
Ryan talks about what it's like to be an Apprentice Electrical Fitter Mechanic.
Transmission Linesperson
Skip to descriptionTransmission work is, in my view, and I'm extremely biased, the best work you could possibly be doing. Your office changes daily.
There's a lot of aerial patrols, platform work, and transfer now we’ve just got started. There's a bit of an extreme side to it I suppose you could say.
It's still extremely safe, but it does take a certain type of person that's willing to climb a 60m tower, get up the top of it, and change hair pins off a suspended platform.
We're always on top of our safety, we always have discussions, we're always amongst it together. There's nothing really there to fear.
And for those that are willing to challenge themselves and look outside the box of a 9 to 5 in town, this is an exciting place to work, and it's definitely something different that a lot of other people don't get the challenges of this role.
Someone that's a team player, looks after their mates, looks after themselves, looks after the equipment, cares about the environment.
We get to do something new every day. We're always travelling. It's amazing, especially wet season when you're up there, it's a whole different world.
It's adventure town this hey? I can't see why you wouldn't come out.
Transmission Linesperson
Hear from Joe and Cameron about what a career as a Transmission Linesperson is like.
For more information
Read our Apprenticeships frequently asked questions, or if you'd like to talk to us about our apprenticeship program, please phone 1800 262 353 or email us at ApprenticeRecruitment@energyq.com.au.
You can also find more detailed information on these apprenticeships on the Department of Education & Training website.
Footnotes
- While Certificate II in Electrotechnology is advantageous, it doesn't guarantee you progression through the recruitment process.