A career powered by curiosity and confidence

When Rachel Hoffmann was in high school, she wasn’t sure what career path to follow. Rather than settling on one direction, she took every work experience opportunity she could.

“One of those opportunities was working with electricians, and I enjoyed it the most. That’s what inspired me to start applying for apprenticeships after school,” she said.

Nearly 20 years later, that curiosity has led to a career spanning CS Energy’s electrical, overhaul, emergency response, and operations teams.

Learning from those around her

Rachel’s career began at Callide Power Station where she secured one of two electrical apprenticeship positions.

“They were originally only hiring one position, but an electrical supervisor fought to have two of us hired. Otherwise, I would have missed out. I’m glad he believed in me,” she said.

Moving to a small regional community and starting work on site brought its own challenges, but Rachel quickly learned the value of finding good mentors and building connections across the business.

“I found the supportive people and advocates who were willing to teach me, and I learnt early to seek support from all teams across site, not just my own,” she said.

Backing herself through every opportunity

Throughout her career, Rachel has never been afraid to take on new challenges.

She completed her electrical and instrumentation apprenticeship, joined the Callide B Electrical Team, and stepped into a senior trade role. On her first day in that role, she was seconded into a supervisor position while the team’s supervisor recovered from surgery.

“It was a very steep learning curve,” Rachel said.

After returning to her senior trade role, Rachel worked as a Quality Inspector during several overhauls before setting her sights on operations.

Although she was unsuccessful in her first application for an operator traineeship, she persevered and secured a position the next time around.

She completed her operator technician traineeship, earned her advanced boiler and steam turbine qualifications, and worked through the site-specific training required to become a Callide B Panel Operator.

“I always wanted to be an electrician, but once I completed my boiler and turbine tickets, I discovered how much I enjoyed operations,” Rachel said.

“The work is different every day. It’s dynamic and interesting. I like the mix of panel operating and getting back out on the plant.

“Becoming a Callide B Panel Operator has been a real highlight. It gave me confidence in my abilities, and I’m now looking forward to the challenge of becoming a Callide C Panel Operator.”

From apprentice to mentor

When Rachel first joined operations, there were still people who questioned whether women belonged in the role.

“I worked hard to prove I could do the job because I felt that if I succeeded, it might make it easier for other women who came after me,” she said.

Today, she is passionate about creating opportunities for others and helping new starters build confidence.

“I want any new starters across the business to know they can come to me for support.

“During my time at Callide, I’ve been fortunate to train operator trainees – and it’s taught me just as much as it’s taught them.

“They all brought knowledge from different industries and backgrounds. Having discussions about plant operations, faults, and solutions helped build my confidence too.”

Rachel’s advice to new starters is simple: build connections and seek support.

“Find the people who believe in you,” she said.

“Don’t limit yourself to your own team. Build a network across site and seek out the people who support you.

And for anyone considering an apprenticeship or career in the energy industry?

“Give it a go. There are so many opportunities to develop, learn new skills, and explore different career paths. The opportunities are there if you’re willing to take them.”