Helping young women see a future in electricity

Female secondary school students from across Hawke’s Bay recently had the opportunity to explore careers in the electricity distribution industry through the Girls with Hi-Vis® event hosted by Unison Contracting in conjunction with Connexis. 

The event gave students a hands-on introduction to the sector, with opportunities to take part in practical activities, learn more about safety and hear about the different pathways available across electricity, trades and infrastructure. 

Girls with Hi-Vis® is a national initiative organised by Connexis to encourage more young women to consider careers in infrastructure industries. Locally, the Hawke’s Bay event was hosted by Unison Contracting in conjunction with Connexis. 

For Unison Networks, the event was an opportunity to support the wider industry focus on encouraging more young women to explore careers in the electricity distribution industry and see the range of opportunities available to them. 

A highlight of the day was having 17-year-old Harmony Winmill involved. 

For just over a year, Harmony has been gaining work experience with Unison Contracting in Hastings one day a week, giving her hands-on insight into the industry while continuing her studies. 

Harmony’s interest in the electricity distribution industry began after she visited the Unison stand at a school careers day in 2024. 

“I attended a careers day with my school and wandered over to the Unison stand. I was amazed by and intrigued with the work they do,” Harmony says. 

That curiosity led to a work experience opportunity with Unison Contracting through her school’s Gateway programme. She has since started an electrical course at EIT and continues to attend Unison Contracting once a week for work experience, learning from field staff and building her understanding of practical, safety-focused work. 

At the Girls with Hi-Vis® event, Harmony helped introduce students to some of the practical aspects of the industry and shared her own experience of getting started. 

Her journey highlights the value of giving students early exposure to career opportunities, and creating pathways that allow them to ask questions, try something new and build confidence. 

Events like Girls with Hi-Vis® help students see the variety of roles available within the electricity distribtion industry, while encouraging more women to consider careers in infrastructure, engineering and trades. 

Unison thanks everyone who contributed to making the event a success and helping inspire the next generation of industry professionals.