Girls on the tools at Ergon

NORTH Queensland women are gaining a foothold in the “male dominated” electrical industry, landing more apprenticeships than ever.

Fourteen of the 76 new apprentices joining Ergon Energy across the state this year are women, which is a record number for the company.

Ingham local Eryn McCulloch, 20, was one of the 22 apprentices to be inducted in Townsville yesterday and said she was “excited” to be a part of the shift in the industry.

“I saw the opportunity with Ergon and a lot of close friends also gave me the direction, and then you just kept going through the callbacks ... it was a no- brainer really,” she said.

Ms McCulloch said she was looking forward to “showing the men” how capable women can be.

“With a lot of females coming into the workforce now and not doing what they were seen to be streamlined into ... it’s really exciting,” she said. “Now they’re breaking out of their shell and getting out and showing the men that we can do it.”

Ms McCulloch said she’d encourage other women to consider a career in the energy industry.

“It’s not for everyone, definitely it is a male- dominated workforce but I think that if you want to get in and have a go, if it’s the work you’re looking for, definitely get in and take the chance that I did. It’s fantastic so far,” she said.

Mundingburra MP Coralee O’Rourke said an apprenticeship offered an “ideal opportunity” for women to earn while learning their trade. “It’s great to see the increasing number of women committing to a demanding, but rewarding career in a traditionally male- dominated industry,” she said.

Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said the apprenticeship program was “very competitive”, attracting more than 2500 applications.

“Queensland has a bright future with these apprentices,” he said.

Dr Lynham said the job would be “richly rewarding”.

“We all see in ( situations such as) Cyclone Debbie when people applauded the Ergon teams coming down the street to reconnect their power,” he said.

Energy Queensland chief executive David Smales said the 2018 intake of apprentices represented the “workforce of tomorrow”.

“Most of our crews throughout the state began their careers in the industry as apprentices … and the value and reliance the community places on their work soon becomes apparent to them – especially in times of natural disasters,” he said.