The program

Our paid internship program offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience and exposure to real world projects. Interns will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals, participate in team meetings and contribute to meaningful projects that align with their field of study.

The intern program will run from December 2025 to February 2026 to coincide with the summer university break.

To be eligible to apply for these opportunities you will need to:

• Be studying the relevant discipline
• Be in your penultimate or final year of university studies
• Have Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency status.

Disciplines available

During summer 2025/2026 we are proud to offer Internships in the following disciplines:

• Network Engineering - Required qualifications in Electrical Engineering. Work across a wide range of electrical network assets including cables, poles, conductors, transformers, regulators, reclosers, switchgear, streetlights and more.
• Strategy and Architecture - Required qualifications in IT - General. As an intern, you’ll support a range of initiatives including research and analysis of emerging technologies, assisting in the development of architectural frameworks, preparing presentations and documentation for strategic reviews, uplift architecture site and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support solution design.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM) Technical Engineering - Required qualifications in Electrical or Aeronautical Engineering, Data Science or Asset Management. As part of the Digital Asset Management (DAM) team, you will contribute to high-impact initiatives that enhance asset intelligence and operational efficiency using Digital Twin capabilities and technologies.
• IT Commercial and Vendor - Required qualifications in Business, Commerce, Supply Chain, Finance, IT, or Procurement. This internship offers exposure to real-world procurement frameworks, contract governance, and digital transformation initiatives supporting one of Australia’s leading energy providers.

CSIRO Generation STEM

In addition to the above-listed roles, we’re also working in collaboration with CSIRO’s Generation STEM program to offer additional Internships in:

• Data/Electrical Engineering – Required qualifications in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics/Statistics, or Data/Visualisation. In this role the intern will work with data science, data pipelines, power engineering concepts, forecasting, statistics, and machine learning. Additionally, the intern will be responsible for documenting processes and coding.

• Enterprise Asset Management Data Analyst – Required qualifications in Data. You will work with experienced specialists in the Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) team to analyse data within Essential Energy's core assets and work systems to identify data quality issues and preparing scripts to correct data in these systems.

Where are roles based?

All internships require participants to be located in our Corporate Office in Port Macquarie on the Mid North Coast of NSW so they can be supported in person by mentors.

Interns will have the opportunity to benefit from beachside living on the Mid North Coast during the summer period.

See our Intern Support Pack for more information.

What are the accommodation options?

As interns are required to be located in Port Macquarie throughout the program, we’ve collaborated with Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie to gain access to a convenient and affordable accommodation option through their on-campus accommodation services. 

Interns who need to relocate to Port Macquarie for the Program may also be eligible for a one-off domestic relocation allowance.

For more information about the accommodation options see our Intern Support Pack.

Will I need a car?

In Port Macquarie a car is the most suitable mode of transport for ease of getting to and from work, and to our beaches, mountains and rivers.

With all out of town Interns being housed at the same accommodation facility, there may be the opportunity to car pool. It’s a 5.5km drive from the Charles Sturt University campus to our Corporate Office at 8 Buller Street, Port Macquarie where Interns will be based.

For more information about transport options see our Intern Support Pack.

What is the domestic relocation allowance?

When approved, Essential Energy will provide a ‘one off’ incidental relocation allowance of $1,000 to compensate for miscellaneous expenses incurred during a relocation for the employee and applicable dependents.

Examples of incidentals may include, but are not limited to, car rental, fuel, telephone charges, cleaning expenses, school uniforms, utility connections, and the cost of other out-of-pocket expenses such as replacing items currently unavailable whilst relocating (for example toothbrush, toaster etc.).

This amount is paid as ordinary salary, as a lump sum payment and is processed by payroll. It is subject to income tax and will be paid upon commencement.

How much will I earn as an Intern?

Hourly rate: $37.04
Weekly (hourly x 36): $1,333.44
Annual salary (excluding super): $69,606.00
Annual salary (including 16.5% super): $81,090.00

Note: Rate as of 1 July 2025, with yearly CPI changes in line with the relevant Enterprise Agreement. All costs associated with travelling for training and work are paid for by Essential Energy.

Our Recruitment Process

Find out more about the Internship recruitment process

Our Benefits

Read more about the benefits of working with us

Zoi’s Story

Zoi Petford, a proud Wiradjuri woman, was awarded an Essential Energy scholarship while studying a Bachelor of Communications at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst in 2022. In 2023 Zoi completed a communications internship with Essential Energy. She has now completed her university studies and joined Essential Energy and is currently in her second year of the Graduate Program.

"During my internship at Essential Energy, I was able to put what I’d been learning at uni into action - writing articles, creating content, and supporting campaigns that reached our communities. It was such valuable hands-on experience, not only applying my communications knowledge but also gaining new skills you just can’t learn in a classroom. What stood out most was how supportive everyone was. They encouraged me to grow, helped me build confidence, and made the transition from uni to the workplace feel far less daunting. That experience confirmed I was on the right career path and set me up for my journey from intern to graduate."