Overview
- You’ll do real work early. At Sportsbet, that means live projects from your first week. At Powerlink, it can mean field work inspecting transmission lines.
- You don’t have to pick your path on day one. AEMO rotates you through four teams over two years, and Urban Utilities’ UrbanGrad program moves you between teams across the business.
- You’ll see and learn from women ahead of you. Women make up 41% of AEMO’s senior leaders and 60% of Urban Utilities’.
- You won’t be figuring it out alone. Powerlink gives graduates formal mentoring and a strong cohort, and Sportsbet will make adjustments during recruitment if you need them.
Compare at a glance
The four programs, side by side
Every employer here is a WORK180 Endorsed Employer and has shared what they offer women. Select a name to jump to the full program.
Employer |
Based in |
Program length |
Streams |
Industry |
Applications |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AEMO |
Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, |
Two years |
Electrical Engineering, Gas Engineering, IT/Digital and Analytics |
Electricity, gas, water and waste |
Reopens early 2027 |
|
|
Urban Utilities |
South East Queensland |
12 months |
Finance and Process/Chemical Engineering |
Electricity, gas, water and waste |
2027 roound closed |
|
|
Sportsbet |
Melbourne |
12 months |
Software engineering, IT and Maths |
I.T., digital & online media services |
2027 round closed |
|
|
Powerlink Queensland |
Brisbane |
Three years |
Electrical engineering |
Electricity, gas, water and waste |
2028 interest open |
What makes a graduate program worth considering?
Every graduate careers page says some version of the same thing. Supportive culture. Real impact. Room to grow. It’s hard to tell them apart, and harder to know which ones mean it.
So we skipped the promises and asked for specifics. How long does the program run? What will you actually work on in your first few months? Who will you learn from? And what is the employer doing to make sure women graduates can see a future there?
Four WORK180 Endorsed Employers answered, along with women who’ve been through their programs. Here’s what they told us.
AEMO
Electricity, gas, water and waste services · 1,001-5,000 employees
Six of 11 graduates in the 2027 cohort are women
94% of women graduates report favourable engagement
Women make up 41% of AEMO’s senior leaders
AEMO manages Australia’s electricity and gas markets, and its graduates work right in the middle of the energy transition.
Status: Next intake re-opens in early 2027
- Program length: Two years
- Rotations: Four, six months each
- Streams: Electrical Engineering, Gas Engineering, IT/Digital and Analytics
- Based in: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
What you’ll get
- Real work, from day one. Engineering graduates help connect new renewable energy to the grid, Digital graduates help protect it from cyber threats, and Analytics graduates use data to recommend reform
- You’re a permanent employee from the start, with a mentor, a buddy and the Young Energy Professionals Network, plus support to move into a higher-level role at the two-year mark
- Still studying? AEMO offers paid internships to women during their STEM degrees, a potential pathway into the Graduate Program
Hear from the people in the program
Urban Utilities
Electricity, gas, water and waste services · 1,001-5,000 employees
Two in three UrbanGrads since 2024 are women
60% of senior leaders are women
Urban Utilities delivers water and wastewater services to communities across South East Queensland. Its UrbanGrad program is built as the starting point for a long-term career in water.
Status: 2027 round closed
- Program length: 12 months
- Rotations: Rotational experiences across the business
- Streams: Finance and Process/Chemical Engineering
- Based in: South East Queensland (head office in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane)
What you’ll get
- An ongoing permanent role when you complete the program
- Rotations, dedicated mentoring and structured development, on work that supports public health, the environment and local communities
- Flexible work, a range of leave options, and women leaders and employee network groups to lean on
Hear from the people in the program
Most students don’t think of water as a career. Darcy Richardson, Career Pathways Specialist, sees that as one of the industry’s biggest challenges.
Sportsbet
I.T., digital & online media services · 1,001-5,000 employees
In a team from week one
SWELL and Accelerate programs for women
Sportsbet’s 12-month graduate program has one goal: helping you grow into a confident, capable engineer who ships work that matters.
Status: 2027 round closed
- Program length: 12 months
- Rotations: At least two teams across Technology
- Streams: Software engineering, IT and Maths
- Based in: Melbourne
What you’ll get
- From your first week, you’re in a team working on live projects alongside experienced engineers
- Questions are encouraged, and so is a healthy “why do we do it that way?”
- Mentoring, supportive networks and internal programs that help women build confidence and visibility
If you need adjustments at any stage of recruitment, like extra time, an alternative format or support with technology, Sportsbet’s early careers team will help.
Hear from the people in the program
“From your first week, you won’t be watching from the sidelines. You’ll be embedded in a team, contributing to live projects, and learning directly from experienced engineers who are genuinely invested in your development.”
“We back people who think for themselves and aren’t afraid to say what they think.” Her advice: “bring your voice, not just your laptop.”
Powerlink Queensland
Electricity, gas, water and waste services · 1,001-5,000 employees
Permanent from day one
Three years of rotations
Powerlink provides electricity transmission services across Queensland, and its graduates work on projects shaping the state’s energy transformation.
Status: Expressions of interest open for 2028
- Program length: Three years, permanent from day one
- Rotations: Design, Systems, Field and Delivery
- Streams: Electrical engineering
- Based in: Brisbane
What you’ll get
- A permanent role from your first day, with three years to try different teams before you choose a direction
- Hands-on industry experience, like inspecting transmission lines, being in the field as well as the office
- Formal mentoring, technical training and a strong graduate cohort around you
Hear from the people in the program
Before you apply
Questions to ask about any graduate program
Different industries, different program lengths, but these four programs have a few things in common. Graduates do real work early. They get room to try more than one path. And they can see women ahead of them. Those are worth checking for in any program you’re considering.
Use these questions when you compare programs, at careers fairs, or in your interview.
What will I actually work on?
Ask for examples of what recent graduates delivered in their first six months.
How do rotations work?
How many are there, how long is each one, and do I get a say in where I go next?
What happens when the program ends?
Is the role permanent, and where have past graduates ended up?
Who will I see ahead of me?
How many women are in the cohort, in leadership and in mentoring roles?
Can I ask for adjustments during recruitment
Good employers will tell you how, up front.
