CS Energy’s Daniel Griggs always wanted to be an electrician since conducting a simple DC Circuit science experiment in primary school.
“It was made from a 9V battery, some tin foil, a light bulb, and a paper clip acting as a switch,” Daniel said.
“I found it really interesting, and I’ve wanted to be an electrician ever since.”
After completing the majority of his schooling in Chinchilla, Daniel started working at Kogan Creek Power Station in 2020 as an Electrical & Instrumentation Apprentice, which involves learning how to maintain the power station through its electrical systems, control systems, and instrumentation; building his knowledge of site operations; and developing skills across the electrical and instrumentation systems present on-site.
Daniel had tailored all his subjects at school to pursue his career goals, even making a four-hour round trip from Chinchilla to TAFE Toowoomba every Wednesday during Year 11 to complete a Certificate II in Electrotechnology.
He had also completed his high school work experience at Kogan Creek Power Station and by the time he officially came on board as an apprentice, he had gained experience across the Kogan site, working alongside CS Energy employees and external contractor groups.
A big learning environment
“The power generation and industrial side of the electrical trade has interested me the most. We get a wide range of training at the power station, and it is very comprehensive and well-suited to the role.
“There’s so much variety here - a lot of different systems across site that incorporate many different process measuring transmitters and field devices that give a wide and diverse range of experience. The broad experience keeps it fresh every day.
“We also have a really good team at Kogan Creek – a lot of them have come from different areas such as sugar mills, gas plants, feedlots, construction – both commercial and industrial – there’s a lot of experience in our team which allows me to learn from different tradesman with various skills gained from these fields.”
Daniel said that one of the most interesting things he has learned since working in the energy industry is an understanding of how the broader energy market and interconnected grid work.
"I have learned firsthand how electricity is generated, traded, and how the entire electrical grid remains interconnected and synchronised across all generators along the east coast of Australia.
“This knowledge has been gained on the job through discussions with Electrical & Instrumentation tradesmen, operators, and the team in the Brisbane office responsible for trading our electricity in the National Electricity Market."
CS Energy’s first Apprentice of the Year
Now in the fourth year of his apprenticeship, Daniel was recently the recipient of CS Energy’s inaugural Apprentice of the Year.
“When we put out the call for nominations, the feedback for Daniel was that he is diligent in his work and goes above and beyond when it comes to safety,” said Jacob Warrender, Maintenance Supervisor Electrical at Kogan Creek Power Station – and Dan’s supervisor.
“He initiates corrective work at every opportunity, which is exactly what we want to see.
“Dan is the kind of person everyone wants on their team; he’s passionate about - and skilled at - what he does, and he’s responsible and embraces our values.”
Pictured: Daniel with some of his fellow 2024 Apprentice of the Year nominees.