I would advise anyone pursuing a career in the power/energy industry to select power subjects for their electives, and to become very familiar with power systems studies. Additionally, being fluent at working with data will be a great skill to have – tools such as Python and SQL will be very valuable. Lastly, I would take the opportunity to improve my technical writing during my university assignments. Much of the work I have done in my engineering professional experience involved writing documents, and honing this skill at university will be very beneficial.
Who am I
My name is Goncalo, I was born in South Africa and grew up in Mozambique, Portugal, and Australia. I am about to graduate from a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at Griffith University. I am very passionate about the energy/power industry, and I aim to contribute to Australia's energy transition, helping secure affordable, secure, and reliable energy to all Australians. I have previously completed a Bachelor of Business and worked in hotel management for several top international hotel companies, having secured supervisory and managerial positions. I have also worked in the trade industry as an electrical trade assistant. I returned to university as a mature student to fulfill my desire to be involved and make a positive contribution to the energy/power industry. I believe my passion, professionalism and will to make a difference will help me become a very valuable asset for Australia's energy ambitions.
Why I chose a career in power
I believe it is a very exciting time to join the power industry in Australia. With the release of AEMO’s 2024 Draft Integrated System Plan, it is clear that the future of the power industry will see a reshape of the power network, and a shift in energy generation and storage. This will require a high level of expertise, met by a qualified workforce. I intend to bring in the expertise required by adopting a continuous learning mentality and committing myself to generating quality work to contribute to Australia’s energy transition. I am very passionate about Australia’s ambition to be a pioneer in the energy shift, and potentially becoming a renewable energy powerhouse.
Where it all started
I believe it is a very exciting time to join the power industry in Australia. With the release of AEMO’s 2024 Draft Integrated System Plan, it is clear that the future of the power industry will see a reshape of the power network, and a shift in energy generation and storage. This will require a high level of expertise, met by a qualified workforce. I intend to bring in the expertise required by adopting a continuous learning mentality and committing myself to generating quality work to contribute to Australia’s energy transition. I am very passionate about Australia’s ambition to be a pioneer in the energy shift, and potentially becoming a renewable energy powerhouse.
My work experience.
What's next?
I worked in the hospitality industry in a managerial capacity for several years. After a rewarding time in this industry, I decided to change careers and join the trade industry, where I worked as an electrical trade assistant. My experience in trade motivated me to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering at Griffith University, where I chose to major in electrical and electronics engineering. During my degree, I worked part-time in an engineering consultancy company for the building services department. Additionally, I did two summer internships - one internship working FIFO in mining, where I worked in the Engineering Maintenance team, and the other internship for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), where I worked in the System Design department. The industry is currently facing major change, with many projects already underway. I believe this is a very exciting time to join the industry, as the changes done today will have lasting impacts to all Australians. I believe all graduates joining the industry are in a privileged position to be part of a generational endeavour which will secure affordable, reliable, secure, and sustainable energy for years to come.