Our Company
What we do
Contact is one of New Zealand's leading energy generators and retailers, providing electricity, natural gas and LPG to about 600,000 customers nationwide. Our power stations generate around 25 per cent of New Zealand's electricity, we are one of the country's largest wholesalers and retailers of natural gas, and we have around 47 per cent of the LPG market in New Zealand.
Contact is one of the country's largest listed companies and one of New Zealand's most widely held stocks with around 81,000 shareholders. We employ over 1,000 people throughout New Zealand, making Contact an integral part of the national economy, our diverse society and local communities.
Contact has been in operation since 1996, when it acquired a portfolio of electricity generation and gas assets from the state owned electricity generator, ECNZ (Electricity Corporation of New Zealand). The Company was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in May 1999. In October 2004, Origin Energy became Contact's majority shareholder.
Our Graduate Programme
With Contact Energy's graduate programme, you get the benefits of jumping into a real job from day one, with the full support of the Contact team right behind you.
Contact's Graduate Development Programme allows you to explore how the business operates, while developing the core business skills that will allow you to take your career in any direction you choose.
The one-year programme comprises a three-day graduate induction, professional and personal development plans, and participation on real projects.
The programme also features goal setting, regular feedback on your progress and ongoing career development guidance.
The key elements of our programme include:
- Working in a real job from day one and for two eight week periods of the year, working on Contact's 'enterprise projects' with graduates from other teams.
- Training workshops to help you develop core business skills to assist you as you transition from education to life at Contact.
- A three-day induction programme, including presentations from the Leadership Team to familiarise you with Contact's past, where we are now and our strategy.
- Visits to Contact sites across the country.
Because Contact takes on a small number of graduates each year, you will be provided with real work and quality support and coaching from day one.
Our Graduates
Kieran - Business Intelligence Officer
“The highlight for me during my time at Contact has been the learning and being able to make a contribution to the business. It also helps that we have a great bunch of people to work with and to learn from. The work in my role has been really varied. My degree really helped prepare me for the practical side of working, the biggest adjustment for me was getting used to regular hours! As a graduate, Contact has provided many opportunities to develop and improve my skills, by working with more experienced colleagues as well as providing external training.”
Larissa - Business Analytst
“The energy industry was completely new to me, so there has been a lot to learn. My job as Business Analyst in our Retail team has far more variety than I thought there would be, which is agood thing! I feel lucky that I've been able to use both of my qualifications in this role – I don't think there are many jobs where I'd get to use both marketing and finance. My degree prepared me for my job more than I had expected. My role is challenging but I don't feel under pressure, I never feel like I am on my own a there is always plenty of support when I need it.”
Graduate Operations Analyst
Wairakei
As a Graduate Operations Analyst at our Wairakei plant, you will work in a team of highly regarded Generation Controllers. At Contact we will give you exposure and experience in building models, analysing complex problems, developing solutions in areas such as plant investigations, project implementation and contract management. You will gain an understanding of the New Zealand Electricity market and help with geothermal generation and reserve offers. You will help with the development on Te Mihi Power station and future geothermal developments.
What you’ll get to do...
- Perform operational, financial, and other investigations for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the Geothermal Group’s performance.
- Help to create and operate a Process Model of the geothermal energy conversion process.
- Recommend improvement actions for both the plant and management systems. Monitor and report on progress of those actions.
- Identify, develop and report performance metrics.
- Work proactively with staff from other teams to promote overarching, cross-functional viewof geothermal performance.
- Assist in the preparation of business cases and cost benefit analyses.
In this job you will be able to:
- Start your journey towards professional registration.
- Receive specialist training to develop and enhance your knowledge of models, instrumentation and electrical systems
- Work alongside some of New Zealand’s leading engineers in the power industry
- Get real hands on I&E experience with sophisticated and leading edge turbine generating equipment.
Desired qualification: BSc (maths/physics) or BE (Op Research/Mech/Eng Science). Ideally an understanding of statistical and operational improvement methodologies such as Statistical Process Control, Six Sigma, Ishikawa models.
What you will do on the graduate wholesale analytics programme
As a Graduate Wholesale Analyst at Contact, you will get exposure to and experience in a large variety of work within one of New Zealand’s leading corporate organisations. The energy sector is an exciting place to work and Contact takes a positive and pro-active approach to the part it plays in the industry. We will encourage your professional development and work with you towards developing a rewarding and meaningful career.
From the outset you will be performing a real job and genuinely contributing to the business. We believe that on-the-job experiences still present the best learning opportunities, but this will be supported by proprietary technical and functional training. In addition, we actively encourage you to take ownership of your career by identifying personal development needs and opportunities in line with business objectives.
We encourage the most efficient learning environment and, as such, will assign to you a team within the wholesale department. The manager of that team will become your mentor and help you launch and build your career.
Contact’s graduate program will allow you to:
- Learn analytical and presentation skills
- Develop your research skills in a corporate environment
- Gain exposure in all areas of Contact’s Wholesale department
- Work side-by-side with seasoned professionals who are willing to share their knowledge
- Be exposed to Senior Management across the organisation
