Community
13 September, 2023
Career insight at Lochard
AROUND 70 female secondary students from schools across Warrnambool, Timboon and Mortlake got a unique ‘up-close’ look at the careers available in the energy industry at Lochard Energy’s Student Open Day.
The open day, held on Monday, September 4, was organised in partnership with the Neil Porter Legacy (NPL) and South West TAFE to provide the students with exposure to future career options they students might have not yet considered.
“The NPL believes students need to get out of the classroom and experience different workplaces that match their interests,” NPL representative Matt Porter said.
“They must talk to employers and employees, see workplaces, ask questions and understand how their classroom learning can be used in real-life situations,” he said. “We can’t thank Lochard Energy enough for opening their doors and giving these female students this opportunity.
“These young ladies will see women working at all levels in this industry and they’ll see what’s possible and be able to make informed career-based decisions.”
The open day included a panel discussion with key experts from Lochard, industry workshops, a tour of the site and a barbecue lunch where students could mix with Lochard employees, ask questions and get a better understanding of the industry.
“There are so many different roles in this industry and the work is interesting, varied and evolving as we look to support the transition to renewables, so it makes a really great career choice for anyone but particularly for those in the south west region with the Iona Gas Storage Facility right here in Port Campbell,” said Lochard Energy chief executive officer Anthony Fowler. “We have some exceptionally skilled and experienced women in management and technical roles at Lochard but it’s no secret that historically there has been fewer women in this industry and we really want to encourage more females to consider it as a career option.”
