Advocating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Energy Sector

Reflections from the API Powerful Women Leadership Program October Mingle 

The Australian Power Institute’s Powerful Women Leadership Program hosted its October Monthly Mingle with an engaging session on “Advocating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Energy Sector.” 

This conversation explored how far the industry has come on gender diversity and inclusion, and the tangible steps leaders are taking to drive lasting cultural change. 

Celebrating Women Who Lead by Example 

The panel featured Samantha Kerr, Technical Director, Power Transmission and Distribution at Aurecon, and Lulu Shao, Director, Power Systems (previously EnergyCo NSW). Together they brought over 40 years of experience as engineers and shared personal insights on the progress made, the challenges still faced, and the importance of visibility, sponsorship and authenticity in leadership. 

Samantha reflected on her early days in engineering, when she was one of just ten women in a class of 150 at The University of Queensland. She noted how far things have come, with women now making up around 30 per cent of engineering students at UQ, supported by targeted Women in Engineering programs. 

Sam has been a lifelong advocate for inclusion, inspired by a formative high school experience when a teacher invited girls to join the boys’ soccer team. That simple act of inclusion showed her, “it takes one person to change culture.” 

Now at Aurecon, Samantha champions a culture of inclusion that is driven from the top, led by CEO Louise Adams, herself a structural engineer. Aurecon’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan embeds belonging into every part of the company’s strategy, with commitments such as: 

• Ensuring 50 per cent of shortlisted candidates are women and that women sit on all interview panels 

• Monitoring gender pay equity annually 

• Supporting flexible and part time work for all parents, not only women 

• Recognising the value of cultural and First Nations diversity through swap day leave and reconciliation initiatives 

As Sam shared, “If there’s no leadership from the top, people won’t follow. Culture must be modelled by example.” 

Building Confidence and Balance 

Lulu, who began her career at Transgrid after graduating from the University of Auckland, spoke with pride about seeing the industry evolve. From being one of three women in a team of forty engineers, she has witnessed a major shift, with 40 per cent of Transgrid’s new apprentices and 39 per cent of graduates now being women. 

She attributes much of this progress to mentorship and sponsorship: 

“It’s about being a mentor, building confidence in each other, and helping people find their strengths. Sponsorship is vital because it means having someone in the room who will advocate for your work.” 

Lulu also emphasised the importance of balance, transparency and communication. Earlier in her career, she worked in a high-pressure environment and pushed herself to exhaustion after returning from parental leave, surviving on only four hours of sleep each night. Now, she leads by example, blocking out 6 to 9 pm for family time and communicating her boundaries clearly: 

“Balance isn’t just possible, it’s respected. My team knows that wellbeing and mental health come first.” 

Changing Work Cultures for the Better 

Both speakers agreed that post COVID work practices have reshaped expectations, making flexible arrangements normal and accepted. Samantha now works four days a week and ensures her clients are aware of her schedule, showing that high performance and part time work can coexist. 

They also noted that today’s workplace culture is more inclusive of diverse lifestyles. Where “drinks after work” once dominated networking, it is now common to see coffee or lunch catch ups that better accommodate both gender and cultural diversity. 

As one attendee noted, “Seeing male colleagues take parental leave has been a real turning point. It normalises flexibility for everyone and changes the culture from within.” 

Inspiring the Next Generation 

The conversation closed with advice for early career engineers: 

• Be inclusive in your own teams and ensure quieter voices are heard 

• Get involved in mentoring or outreach programs to encourage young women to explore engineering 

• Seek out employers with visible DEI commitments, which are often available on company websites 

• Do not be afraid to define your boundaries, as balance supports long term success in the workforce 

As Lulu summed up our session perfectly with: “Inclusion can start early, with storytelling, with role models, and with engineers who make themselves visible.”