Degree: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University: Auckland
Division: Grid Development, Tactical Engineering
Teams: Substations Project Engineering – Customer Projects
During my summer internship at Transpower, I joined the Substations Project Engineering – Customer Projects team.
The team is responsible for developing new high-voltage substation such as grid injection points (GIP) and grid exit points (GXP) projects for customers. The team works with both internal and external partners, such as project managers, asset planning leads, generators, distributors, and industrial clients, overseeing technical documents, managing engineering investigations, and developing engineering designs.
Throughout my placement, I collaborated closely with internal stakeholders and contributed to various tasks and projects that enhanced my technical and collaborative skills. I worked with the Lines team to provide feedback on cable design standards, gaining insight into standard development. I supported substation Concept Assessments, collaborating with teams like System Planning and Cost Estimation to propose optimal solutions. Drafting the Basis of Design documents allowed me to engage with the Project Engineer and Project Manager to assess feasibility. I also organized geotechnical reports and assisted the Protection & Automation team with communication issues in the digital substation. These experiences provided a solid understanding of substation projects and teamwork.
I was fortunate to receive valuable advice early on: schedule one-on-one catch-ups with team members. This helped me integrate quickly, build connections, and better understand everyone’s work. Our team is incredibly supportive, experienced, and generous in sharing knowledge.
My manager supported me in taking the first aid course, my buddy helped me adapt quickly by sharing insights and involving me in projects, and my teammates took me to several site visits and guided me through SE1 certification. We also had regular team-building activities, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn new tools and skills in such a supportive environment.
A great team truly makes a difference, and I deeply appreciate everything they’ve shared with me. I obtained not just skills and knowledge, but also great memories.