About Summer School+
Provided for industry by industry for 20+ plus years
Enhance your strategic & technical capability development at the API’s 2-week residential Summer School+, and emerge with a national network and polished skillset to lead the power sector workforce for our future.
From mid-career professionals to senior staff, Summer School is a valuable chance to step out of the turbulence of day-to-day to look at the bigger picture for the sector and build deep connections with your peers nation-wide.
Enhance your strategic technical skills and leadership capability
Join us in 2025 to experience our enhanced program featuring online senior executives sessions (starting March 2025) and the highly regarded 2-week residential School in Melbourne in May 2025.
All of the programs also include the Executive Insights Program and a NEM Basics course provided by AEMO via the API Online Academy.
All female participants have the option to be included in the Powerful Women Leadership Program at no extra cost - learn more here.
"It's not your standard industry event. It enables cross-industry relationship building in a way that I have not experienced in my career before."
- Christopher Maddocks
Who should attend?
A unique and exclusive program for:
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Professionals in engineering or other technically oriented roles in the power sector;
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With 6+ years of experience;
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And a desire to make a significant contribution to the power sector and their organisation’s future
Join us in Melbourne in 2025!
Build your strategic technical leadership capability
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Summer School+ is the API's technical leadership program that builds the strategic, technical, and leadership skills and insights you will need to be a leader in the technically-oriented organisations in the Australian power sector.
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Join us in 2025 and experience our flagship program featuring online senior executives sessions (starting February 2025) and the highly regarded 2-week residential School in Melbourne in May 2025.
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Build your knowledge and connect with experts, executives and other emerging leaders in the power sector and strengthen your ability to make significant contributions to our sector and your organisation's future.
"The Summer School has been a great experience and not what I expected. I enjoy the interactive moments between presentations and the projects are a good idea to stimulate the uni days group dynamic. Great work!"
- Summer School Participant, 2024
Learn from 60+ industry experts
Arrive a professional, emerge a leader
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Attend online sessions with 10+ executives PLUS the 12 day residential Summer School with 60+ experts;
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Collaborate at the School to craft and share solutions to key industry challenges, tasked by sector leaders and CEOs;
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Build your knowledge and develop an invaluable nation-wide network of experts, executives and your fellow peers in the power sector
Unlock remarkable experiences and opportunities
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Fantastic value! Registration includes ALL accommodation, meals, and activities for the 2-week residential School with over 100 of your peers, executives, & industry experts combined
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Learn and connect with peers through workshops, panels, speaker Q&A's , group projects, site tours, social activities + more
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Women can also join the extra Powerful Women Leadership Program as part of the residential School for additional career development, mentoring + networking opportunities and support
"The API Summer School is the best educational program for anyone in the power industry. It's very insightful working with other like-minded delegates on topical issues in the power sector while developing meaningful connections in the process. I strongly recommend it."
- Wei Jian Chan
Executive Insights & Summer School Strategic Projects
Collaborate with peers and explore solutions to key industry challenges
As a Summer School participant you are deeply involved in our Executive Insights program - you'll join our 10x execs online as they share their insights in 30 minute 'fireside chat' style sessions including the chance to put questions directly to the Execs in the online Q&A.
These sessions provide invaluable strategic context for the comprehensive content from industry experts that you will further explore during the 2-week residential Summer School.
Our Executives also provide a Challenge Question as a focus for team collaboration activities during the School (in preparation for live 'Strategic Project Presentations'); Summer School participants will work in groups of 5 to develop a response to an Executive's Challenge Question, including an exclusive small-group session with the Executive to further explore the strategic issues identified by the Executive.
Groups will collaborate during the School to identify recommended actions in response to the Executives challenges, including how early career professionals can develop so they can contribute to the issues in the future.
In addition to the knowledge gained through these projects, you'll develop skills to help you lead discussions between three generations of leaders for the power sector, including the Executives, Summer School participants, and undergraduates and graduates (attending online, and future female leaders attending in person via the POWERful Women Leadership Program). Groups will deliver a 20 minute presentation at the end of the School to a live and online audience of 100+ people, and will write a report for their nominated Executive that is also shared with the broader API community. Developing effective communication abilities is a strong theme during the School, and Communication Skills Prizes for best group and individual presentations (male and female) are awarded at the School's Gala Dinner.
"A must-attend for any Australian power engineer in their career at some point"
- Amali Wickramasinghe
Invest in strengthening your knowledge and networks
Connect with peers, executives and professionals nation-wide
Past participants in the School (and their managers) consistenly share that the value of the School is the knowledge and the deeply developed professional networks created through the unique residential program - no other program can match the opportunity to build such deep and career-spanning relationships with peers from across the sector and the country and at such an important stage in your career.
You'll also connect with the current and future female leaders in the API's new Powerful Women Undergraduate Retreat, and 40+ early career professionals in the API's new Summer School Retreat Programs - a very unique experience!
You can also access all the recorded Executive Insights sessions from the 2025 program and slide decks from presenters at the School (upon completion).
Take a look at the 2024 Strategic Project Presentations below:
"Fantastic experience, and a great way to learn and practice team work, communication skills, and learn about the current status of power sector."
- Paula Cuervo
What to expect
Summer School+ 2025 Roadmap
Summer School+ will shift your thinking from technical to strategic thinking while building communication skills to enhance your leadership capability and confidence.
You will achieve this by:
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Partaking in the Executive Insights program, through which you will prepare a presentation with other delegates addressing solutions to a key industry challenge set by one of 10x executives prior to the School;
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You will present your findings in front of a live audience at the School and finalise your executive reports and summaries for your peers' reference; and
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You will participate in communication building activities, such as an Open Mic Night and Communications Workshop at the residential School
"The API 2024 Summer School: Where knowledge meets inspiration and dreams turn into reality."
- Louise Biddle
Free addition: Powerful Women Leadership Program
For women currently working in or pursuing a career in the power sector
Exclusive to female participants of the Summer School Programs, we invite you to join the extra Powerful Women Leadership Program for additional career development, mentoring + networking opportunities.
The Powerful Women program has one undergraduate retreat and will be held during the 2-week residential Summer School+ in May 2025 alongside two new Summer School Retreats: 'Career Starter' (for those with 0-3 years experience) and 'Developing Professionals' (for those with 4-6 years experience).
Summer School+ is set to be held from 12-23 May 2025, and all Summer School Retreats - including the Powerful Women Undergraduate Retreat - will be held during and overlap with Summer School+ from 20 - 23 May 2025
"Overall the sessions had a good range of topics across career development, industry challenges (broader and technical), and personal branding/communication."
- Powerful Women Leadership Program participant
Registration costs
All accommodation and meals covered at the School!
With industry conferences now costing $1000+ per day plus hotels and meals as extra costs, we are proud to offer the Summer School to our member organisations and others for the following prices (your only extra cost is your travel!).
Registration includes all accommodation and meals at the live School (including all group dinners and functions).
Complete and send the PDF Order Form by email to Emily Marschke to secure your seat & pay by invoice at: Programs@api.edu.au
* You can register your order without the names of participants to secure the Early Bird rate
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Early bird closing 30 November 2024
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Standard registration closing 1 February 2025
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Late registration available until 11 April 2025
Note: Late registration will result in missing the online induction event, and potentially incurring additional costs.
Backed by industry
Thank you to our members who make this all possible
Governor members
Principal members
Industry members