As the energy industry navigates one of the most significant transitions in its history, women are increasingly at the forefront, bringing with them skills, insight and leadership needed to drive change. This year’s Women From The Field conference, held this week (September 9 and 10) in Sydney marked a milestone for the sector, as operational staff from electricity networks in New South Wales came together to share experiences, insights and reflections on their growing role in shaping Australia’s energy future.

More than 300 attendees representing the four major electricity service networks: Essential Energy, Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Transgrid, came together this week, with approximately 110 participants from Essential Energy alone. From apprentices to senior leaders, the event demonstrated the depth of talent of the women in operations across regional, rural and remote New South Wales. Attendees participated in networking sessions, heard from speakers showcasing innovative projects within their Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs), and shared practical ideas to take back to their teams.

Among the attendees was Essential Energy’s Samantha Haynes, just one of many women leading the change on the ground. Samantha’s journey in the industry has been dynamic to say the least. From being the first female powerline worker apprentice at the Forbes depot to now driving strategic initiatives in smart metering and how customers interact with the grid in her role as Load Control Senior Specialist. Her story reflects the resilience, adaptability and leadership women bring to operational roles.

“It’s valuable to hear what other electricity service providers are doing and take ideas back to your own team. There’s a sense of support and shared purpose when you get all these women together. You realise there are a lot of us out there doing really important work,” Samantha said.

A key theme of the event was discussions around the energy transition, one of the biggest challenges for the energy sector in recent history. As this evolution takes place to support the transition to renewables, electrification and developing technologies, there is consensus that the electricity sector faces a significant risk of workforce shortages.

Attendees from Essential Energy, Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Transgrid coming together for the Women from the Field Conference.

Employers in the energy sector must strategically plan to attract, train, and retain workers to facilitate workforce growth to power the energy transition to net zero by 2050. Essential Energy’s Strategic Workforce Planning activities are focussing on the critical workforce segments of Engineering, System Control, Trades, Digital, Data and Cyber, with each segment showing distinct growth requirements driven by the unique demands of the energy transition.

Beyond the numbers, meeting the challenges of the transition demands creativity, innovation and collaboration. Drawing on a workforce rich in diverse thinking and lived experience is critical when faced with a shifting world. There’s no denying the value that women in operational roles can bring to the table with fresh perspectives, technical problem solving and customer engagement.

Samantha explains that more than just new technology is needed for the future of the network, thinking differently and challenging the usual way of doing things is important too.

“Women bring perspectives that challenge the usual way of doing things,” Samantha said. “Whether it’s how we manage load control, support customers or work safely and effectively in the field, we’re helping shape smarter and more inclusive solutions. This conference is about recognising that and making space for more of it.”

As we look to the future, the need to continue to expand and develop the workforce in the energy sector is becoming critical. Essential Energy is committed to addressing the skills gap, expanding their programs with the proposal of a new training academy. The proposed academy will specialise in renewable energy training and deliver high-quality electrical trade and technical qualifications. It will support the development of a skilled, future-ready workforce capable of enabling the energy transition across regional, rural and remote communities.

Women in operational roles will continue to play a vital part in this future, bringing insight, experience and leadership needed to build a smarter, safer energy network.