Program assists power station workers to find new careers

From systems control engineer to wilderness guide; and nurse to coxswain — the career choices of those leaving the Eraring Power Station when it closes its doors in 2027 are varied. After 43 years of operation the coal-fired power plant is due to close in August 2027.

Origin Energy, which runs the power station, was keen to assist Eraring’s loyal workers into the next part of their career, so it rolled out its Future Directions Program to retrain those staff into other careers of their choosing.

98% of eligible employees are engaged with the program to explore their Future Directions with 463 courses being funded by Origin to support their career choices. And while some people have decided to explore a variety of future possibilities, several have chosen to stay within the energy sector.

Out of 98% current program participants, 80.5% are currently training, or are interested in staying in the energy sector. Out of those, 19 people have chosen an electrical career, and two people have chosen to train as a VET assessor.

“It has been a balance of reskilling and upskilling people whilst managing a critical operation to provide reliable and affordable energy to our customers,” explained Ian Crowhurst, Head of Future Capability & Talent at Origin Energy.

“We realised it could be a little overwhelming for some of the staff to think about new careers after working here for so long, so we started by running career coaching and talking about possibilities. Many were restrained by location, so we looked in the local area to see what might be available in the future workforce for this area, as well as mapping people’s talents and interests.

“We’ll also be launching the largest battery currently under construction in the southern hemisphere, located at the power plant site. Some staff will remain on to operate and manage it and we also expect there will be opportunities here during site demolition and rehabilitation.”

Image caption: Brett Harvey and Ian Crowhurst at Origin Eraring Power Station. Image: Supplied.